Naomi's World
by DarkAngelSnapeLover
Summary: Arthur is 16 years old, but a fall of his bike puts him in a hard position when he breaks his arm. To help take care of his younger siblings, including 4-yr-old twins Vicky and Ricky, the Reads decide to hire Naomi, a blonde spitfire that Arthur immediately doesn't trust. Is Naomi just a kind neighborhood girl or is she really something worse? No smut or foul language.
1. Chapter 1

**Naomi's World**

SUMMARY: Sixteen-year-old Arthur is experiencing an interesting life change. After getting into a bicycle accident and breaking his arm, he's thrown onto the Hottie List of Elwood City High. Girls are finally noticing him, but Arthur thinks it's for the worst reason in the world. To make matters worse, a hot young babysitter named Naomi is hired by the Read's to help care for Arthur, DW, Kate, and their four-year-old younger siblings, Ricky and Vicky, while Arthur is out of commission. Will Naomi fulfill her duties and make life for the Read's better, or will she only make things worse as she too joins the pursuit of the handsome Arthur Read? Find out in Naomi's World, and be prepared for plenty of twists and turns.

Important notes:

* This piece is Rated K+, so there won't be any cursing, naughty bits, etc.

**This piece has nothing to do with my other piece, Sophomore Sorrows.

***Each chapter is divided into named sections for easy division.

_Chapter One_

|Introductions|

Arthur felt stupid for the bicycle accident that broke his arm. He was sixteen; he'd been riding for years. But after one major bump, BOOM!, he was over the handlebars. The crack and the pain was unmistakable: He'd broken his arm badly, and he was lucky to not need surgery to fix it.

His recovery would be slow, and the Read family couldn't afford to have their oldest child out of commission. Three years after having Kate, Jane gave birth to twins, Vicky and Ricky. They were four years old now and a major handful compared to seven-year-old Kate and sixteen-year-old Arthur (DW was still a handful at eleven years old). Because Arthur was the only one old enough to care for so many children at once, the Read's would be in a crunch on busy nights when both parents had to be out of the home.

Jane was unsure what to do about this conundrum. She removed her reading glasses and looked to her husband, who was lying next to her in bed. They both sighed together, sinking into the comfortable pillows and blankets. After only two days without Arthur, they were coming up to their first crisis: Both had after-dinner obligations that would keep them from home until as late as midnight.

"What should we do?" Jane asked. David sighed again, looking down to his laptop, "Well, I found a childcare site online. We could hire a babysitter from there right now, if you're interested," David offered. Jane looked troubled, and David closed his laptop, feeling as if her troubled look was a bad sign for his plan.

Jane reopened the laptop, "You're much better at this sort of thing than I am. Pick someone everyone will love," she smiled, kissing his forehead before turning over to sleep. David smiled and began his search.

|Introductions Continued|

Naomi was seventeen, blonde, and talented. She was CPR certified and had three years of babysitting experience. Because she was musical, she was the perfect match for Kate and Vicky, who both enjoyed singing. She also loved cartoons, perfect for Ricky. And her fashion sense was sure to make DW proud.

But Arthur wasn't happy. Naomi looked like one of the mean girls from school. She even had the same purse as Muffy, the meanest girl in all of Elwood City. Arthur wished his parents had chosen someone else, but he also wished he hadn't gotten into such a dumb accident in the first place.

"And Naomi, this is our oldest son, Arthur," David introduced. Arthur nodded, smiling weakly before turning back to the television. "You'll have to excuse him. He broke his arm a few days ago and needs more time to recover. His bedtime is ten o'clock, but you shouldn't have to worry about him at all."

Naomi nodded, looking Arthur over again before following David upstairs to the twin's bedroom-slash-playroom, where they were banging toys loudly. Soon, not only had the banging stopped, but Arthur's parents were gone. The kids were now home alone…with a babysitter.

|Home Alone…Sort Of|

Arthur listened as Naomi played with the twins, stopping periodically to check on the other children, including Arthur. She would lean on the archway leading into the den, looking intently at whatever Arthur was watching. She never spoke, but Arthur knew she wanted to ask questions, to engage with the stony teen.

But Naomi didn't bother Arthur. She lured the twins into the bath with water games before tucking them in a few minutes before their normal bedtime. Then she moved on to Kate, whose independence was strong. She was already washed and sleeping when Naomi checked on the girls' shared room. That left Arthur and DW, and Naomi chose to see Arthur next, this time sitting on the couch and turning off the television to force conversation.

"Your siblings are good at taking care of themselves. Did you help teach them that?" Naomi asked. Arthur shrugged; he was a caretaker, not a parent. "Well, they're the best four-year-old's I've had since I started taking care of children. Well…ever actually," Naomi admitted, laughing casually, "My own siblings are nightmares."

"Mine can be too. Have you met DW?" Arthur asked coldly, eying the remote. Naomi grinned, "She's even doing fine in the office. So far, you're the only one I don't understand. You don't want me here; I know that much. But I also know you're better than a couch potato. You need to move more, unless you want a bum's body to go with that bum arm of yours," she winked, flipping on the television again as she stood up. "When I'm done getting your sister to bed, I'd like to get to know you better," she whispered before leaving the room.

Arthur didn't give her that chance. He went to bed, locking his bedroom door behind him. Naomi never tried to come in, but somehow Arthur knew he'd have to face her one day, and he wasn't looking forward to getting to know the preppy blonde.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two_

|Sharing Thoughts|

Jane and David smiled at their son the next morning. He was the first one up like always, and he entered the kitchen cradling his broken arm before sitting at the breakfast table, careful to avoid the twins' high chairs.

"Naomi spoke highly of everyone last night. She did a wonderful job, and she can't wait to come back whenever we need her again," Jane smiled, glancing at her husband as Arthur shrugged the best he could. David cleared his throat, getting his son's attention, "That'll be tonight, actually. Mom needs us to help her with some things at home, and I really think it's best that everyone stays here."

Arthur made no reaction as his mother handed him his usual breakfast of cereal and milk, "Arthur, do you have anything to say? Maybe a suggestion?" Jane asked, watching as he continued to sit silently. "Do you even speak anymore?"

"It's fine. Naomi does well with everyone. I just…I don't like knowing someone else is doing my job, is all," Arthur muttered. This was half-truth, half-lie. He didn't mind someone else bathing the children and doing the dirty work. What he minded was being out of commission in the first place.

"Well, that's understandable," David nodded, ruffling Arthur's hair. "You're a good son, Arthur, and we're lucky to have you. You'll be able to take care of the kids again soon, unless you decide to get a job. Naomi's rates are reasonable, and that would give you some extra spending money for when you hang out with your friends."

"I'll think about it," Arthur murmured, taking a bite of his cereal. Kate entered the room a moment later, chattering with their parents about the awesome Naomi. Arthur almost felt nauseous, so he ate quickly and packed his things for school. No one noticed as he slipped out the front door, halfway running to Buster's house to get away.

"Whoa, you're in a hurry!" Bitzi laughed, nearly running into Arthur as she exited the condo. "What brings you here so early? The bus won't leave for another twenty minutes," Bitzi said, checking her watch to make sure that was true. Instead, she found it was four hours behind; her watch had stopped in the night. "Oh, no, and my phone's dead too! Buster, can I borrow your watch?!" she yelled into the house, leading Arthur in as she listened for a response.

"Need it!" Buster muttered out the bathroom door, sending out a spray of toothpaste foam. He smiled as he noticed Arthur, "Hey, you're early! Go into my room. I have something to show you," he cried, moving over to let Arthur by in the narrow hallway. A moment later, Arthur was in his room, listening to the absentminded Bitzi ask Buster numerous questions. The smell of something burning filled the house, sending the scattered woman out the door. Their day was just going too badly for her to stick around.

When Buster entered the room, he had a blackened toaster pastry on his plate and he was licking icing from his fingers. He looked happy about life, but he could tell Arthur was very troubled. He sat at his desk to eat, looking up to Arthur to get him talking. Arthur told him about Naomi, but Arthur didn't get the reaction he expected.

"You're worried that Naomi is one of those brats from school?" Buster laughed. "Come on, she's going to put on an act while she's there. She wants your parents to pay her, doesn't she? Come on, you're worried about nothing. And I don't even think anyone named Naomi goes to our school. Muffy would've fought with her by now if she's as beautiful as you say. Wait, is she hot? Give her a number."

"I won't judge my babysitter for hotness," Arthur groaned, lying back on the bed carefully. "I just need to get better so I can take over again. But…my parents really like her. Dad told me I could get a job because Naomi has good rates. They told me no just a month ago, but now they're suggesting it like they're replacing me or something."

"Replace you? No, you're a bigger control freak than Brain when it comes to those kids," Buster scoffed. "You're just feeling inferior because she took your job. I say you should enjoy it. It's not every day you can pawn off three brats and a little sister onto someone else," Buster laughed, careful to keep Kate off the Brat List, the official list they kept to show who caused them the greatest pain in life. At the top? Muffy Crosswire.

"We need to get to school," Arthur sighed. It was a Monday, which meant a stricter tardy policy to start off the new week right. Buster agreed, and soon the two were walking to the bus stop to make their way to Elwood City High.

|Elwood City High Hottie Patrol|

Arthur and Buster shared a locker on Elwood City High's second floor. When they approached, Muffy and her new best friend, Sue Ellen, were leaning against it. Buster tried to reason with them, but they weren't moving.

"Hunk material up ahead, boys," Muffy said firmly, remaining locked against their locker as she stared into the mass of teens up ahead. "Won't move until this storm is over," she grinned, elbowing Sue Ellen gently, "Isn't he the hottest hottie that ever hottied?"

"OMG, yes!" Sue Ellen cried, almost jumping with joy.

"Boy with a broken arm here. Move, Muffy," Buster said firmly. Muffy scoffed and turned around angrily. Her eyes fell on Arthur and her mouth changed shape, "I thought you were lying, Buster Baxter. Fine, but don't expect too much sympathy, Arthur. We've all broken a few bones or two. You're not entitled to anything beyond your status level."

"Oh, stop, Muffy. You've never broken a bone," Sue Ellen whispered. Despite her and Muffy being best friends, Sue Ellen was often a voice of reason. She wasn't even on the boys' Brat List because she was so nice, and now was a clear example of her power over Muffy. She pulled them up the hallway, taking over a water fountain to stare at whoever they were looking at.

"Wow, that was weird," Arthur sighed, unloading his heavy homework books into the locker with Buster's help. Buster shrugged, "You've got to learn to use that arm to your advantage, even if you are mad at yourself over the wreck. I saw it, Arthur. I watched you go down, namely because I knew I could be next. Things happen when you ride your bike. It's perfectly reasonable."

Arthur shook his head. He still felt like an idiot, and Buster knew today wasn't the day to argue with him. They parted ways to get to their first class, sending Arthur past Muffy and Sue Ellen. The boy they'd been drooling about was gone, and with the tardy bell approaching, the girls separated. Muffy went in the same direction as Buster, heading towards the stairs to the third floor. Sue Ellen ended up beside Arthur, and she tapped his good shoulder to get his attention.

"Hey, I was wondering what happened to you," she said kindly, hugging her books as they entered one of the most congested halls in the whole school. Arthur shrugged, "Flipped off my bike Friday afternoon. It's a bad break, but the doctors think I won't need surgery," Arthur explained, immediately blushing and turning from her. Though she was Muffy's voice of reason, she rarely took an interest in anyone except the school's hotties, and it was confirmed by all the girls that Arthur and Buster were NOT on that list.

"That's good. My mom broke her leg a few weeks ago and needed surgery. Maybe you'll see her at physical therapy in a few weeks," Sue Ellen smiled, ducking into a classroom. Arthur entered his own within seconds of the bell, taking his seat as his strict teacher closed the classroom door.

Arthur's mind should've been on the pop quiz he had a moment later, but instead he thought of Naomi and Sue Ellen taking an interest in him. Was his broken arm doing all of that? Arthur blushed at the thought of a bunch of brats fighting over him. That was what the "hottest hotties" had to go through, not a nobody like him. But what if he wasn't a nobody anymore? Arthur couldn't help but smile at the thought, and his pop quiz was turned in with seven out of ten questions incorrect.

|Mystery Bits of Bonding|

Arthur had a hard day at school that day. Everyone was so concerned over his broken arm, namely females. Guys simply wanted to sign his bright, blue cast, but the girls? They wanted the whole story, every detail, and they looked at him with expressions that confused the inexperienced Arthur into a state of silence. By the time he headed home, he wanted to be left alone, and since he was usually the first of the older children to return home, he expected to have the house to himself aside from his mom and the twins.

Instead, approached his house to hear the twins squealing from the backyard swing set their father had put together. A girl's laugh followed the children's happy cries: Naomi was back.

"Welcome home, Arthur. Your parents are working now, and tonight they'll be with your Grandma Thora," Naomi called to Arthur. He nodded, shrinking into the house and into his upstairs bedroom. Why was she here so early? Arthur's mind raced as he put down his heavy backpack on the bed and sank into his desk chair. How long would he have to put up with her trying to ask him questions? Hadn't he been through enough today?

As Arthur wondered about what he should do next, the girls entered the house with the twins and Naomi not far behind. The smell of baking cookies filled the air as the oven's timer began to chime out loudly. Even Arthur wasn't allowed to use David's fancy new oven, and Arthur nearly ran down the stairs to see if Naomi really was doing something she shouldn't be.

"Hey, Arthur, your dad put these on before he left. Do you mind showing me how to turn off everything?" Naomi smiled. Arthur turned off the timer and the oven's heat before looking over his usual charges. The girls and the twins looked happy as they stared at the cookies, still cooling on some wire cooling racks. This rare treat was unexpected, and Arthur wondered what it was all about.

Before he could think for too long, Naomi began passing out a cookie for each person. She handed two to Arthur, a treat for the oldest. Arthur shook his head, "Not hungry," he muttered, moping up the stairs with a heavy frown on his face. Something was up in the Read household and Arthur didn't like it, not one bit.

A few minutes after he entered his room, he heard the girls enter their bedroom to begin their homework, and the twins were settled into the den for their favorite afternoon shows. With everyone busied by something, Naomi slinked up the stairs and gently knocked on Arthur's door.

"Kate, is that you?" Arthur called. Naomi shook her head, "No, it's Naomi. I wanted to talk to you, get to know you better. You seemed upset earlier, and I just—"

"I'm fine," Arthur assured her. "Please, I need to get started on my homework. I'll be fine," he sighed, looking at his school books with contempt. Usually he was using this quiet time to do his own schoolwork, but today he just wanted to go for a bike ride, like that would do him any good.

"Well, I need your help with dinner. Your father said you were the only one who knew the stove as well as him, and he wanted me to reheat some stir-fry for everyone," Naomi called through the door, leaning against it gently, "I like bonding with my charges that way anyhow. Would you like that?"

Arthur didn't know how to respond. He'd rather do dinner himself than work side-by-side with Naomi on some bonding mission, but she sounded so sincere through the door. In fact, she almost sounded upset that Arthur was pushing her away, and he wondered if he should just suck it up and let her talk to him.

"I need an answer, Arthur. You're still there, aren't you?" she asked with a small giggle. Arthur nodded, "I'm still here. I'll help you with dinner. Just don't ask too many questions. You probably won't be here too long and I don't want you hurting the kids' feelings. They really like you already, so I don't want you to break their hearts."

Naomi smiled, "You're a kind big brother, Arthur, but I save my heartbreaking for the boys of St. Paul's School for Boys next to my Catholic high school," she laughed. "See you downstairs at four. Let me know if you need any help on that homework."

Arthur looked at his books and forced himself to begin his work. Four o'clock was just forty minutes away, but he knew it would be a very long forty minutes. His head was swimming, and he wished he hadn't broken his cell phone during his bike accident. He wanted to tell Buster this new fact about Naomi, but he had no way of doing so without being busted. He needed to talk to his friend. He needed help figuring everything out.

|Advice and Adjustments|

Arthur entered the kitchen just as his doorbell rang. Naomi moved to answer it while Arthur retrieved the container of frozen stir-fry from the refrigerator, where Naomi placed it to begin the thawing process. As Arthur maneuvered it into a pan, Naomi entered the room with Buster Baxter in front of her.

"Your parents didn't mention friends coming over for dinner, but I think there's enough for everyone," Naomi laughed. "Care to help us…?"

"Buster Baxter," Buster smiled, extending his hand in a gentleman-like fashion. Arthur scoffed as Naomi laughed heartily, "Well, you're a wonderful guy. Tell me more about yourself, Buster Baxter. Do you go to Elwood City High with Arthur?"

Buster nodded, joining Arthur on his bad side to help him break apart the frozen tidbits of the meal. Naomi took the other side, grabbing a second spatula to join in, "I've heard Elwood City High is a wonderful place to go to school. I was at St. Mary's School for Girls before I graduated. I got out a year early because I'm taking college classes too. I'm going to be a nurse," she nodded. Buster smiled, "My mom thought about being a nurse, but the sight of blood makes her pass out."

Naomi laughed loudly, making Arthur shudder from the noise, "Tell me about it! My teacher wants us to draw blood from each other next week, but I don't know if I'm ready yet. Being a nurse is hard, but it's something I've always wanted. And in a year or so, I'll be able to take my test. If I pass, I'll get my license and I can get a nursing job anywhere in the state. I want to be a school nurse so I can be close to children, or work in a pediatrician's office. Oh, enough about me," she laughed. "What do you want to do with your life, Buster?"

"Professional comedian," he nodded with a smile. Naomi grinned, asking him to perform a joke. Buster was more than happy to do this; he did it all the time at school, "Alright, so what's the deal with these gas prices? I was driving past a gas station the other day when I happened to see a few people come out with missing arms or legs. What's next, your first born son?" he joked. Naomi laughed; Arthur grinned for support.

"Wow, that's good. Who's your favorite comedian of all time?" she asked. Buster shrugged, "I like them all, really. Well, my mom won't let me watch the vulgar ones unless it's censored, so I guess I don't like them as much, but I like anyone who comes on television. What about you?"

"I like young prodigies. They're the future of comedy, you know?" Naomi replied. Buster almost cried out as a wide smile took his face. Arthur almost felt sick again; Buster was falling for his babysitter.

"I can do this while you two set the table," Arthur said, stirring the thawed mixture. Naomi agreed with that plan, filling Buster's arms with plates before filling her hands with various silverware. Child-sized plates were placed on one side of the table while adult-sized plates were on the other end. Kate still took a smaller plate, leaving four for DW, Arthur, Buster, and Naomi. DW's plate was on the children's side of the table. The other three were at the other end, two on one side and one on the other. Arthur shuddered as he wondered who would be sitting next to whom.

As the smell of dinner filled the house, the usual food-induced chaos filled the Read home. Arthur served the stir-fry in a large bowl that Naomi carried to the crowded table. She served the twins first before placing the bowl within everyone's reach. She then took a seat on the side with two plates. Buster took the seat next to her, leaving Arthur to sit alone on the other side, which filled him with both relief and anxiety all at the same time.

"Do you all pray before meals?" Naomi asked. Arthur shook his head; they didn't even pray at Christmas when his mom's family came over. Naomi shrugged, bowing her head as the entire rest of the table ate ravenously. Buster was the only one not stuffing his face as he watched Naomi pray.

"What was she doing?" Vicky called, smacking her lips as she chewed some of the stir-fry's pasta. Naomi laughed, "First, let's chew with our mouths closed. Second, I was praying. Do you know about God or Jesus?" Naomi asked. Arthur shook his head for them, "No, they have no idea what you're taking about."

Naomi seemed to light up with the opportunity to explain her religion to outsiders, but before she could begin, the phone rang. She looked to Arthur to answer it, but he shook his head, "Only the one in charge can answer the phone. Family rule," he grinned. DW nodded in agreement, watching Naomi head into the hall to answer it.

"Wow, a Catholic school girl," Buster grinned, kicking Arthur gently underneath the table. "I came over just to ask you how your day went. I never expected this!" he squealed. DW scoffed from the other end of the table, "Who cares how Arthur's day went? I bet he was the most popular boy in school with that Smurf arm of his."

"Don't be rude, DW," Arthur said, sticking his tongue out at her. She did the same as Buster looked to Arthur, "You were the most popular. People kept twisting your story around, so now the whole student body thinks you were thrown off a horse and run over by an ATV. All the girls are swimmy-eyed over you. You're on the hottie list!"

"I doubt that," Arthur argued. Buster was about to counter him, but Naomi returned and took over the table conversation, "That was your parents, Read children. They'll be home after you go to bed, but they'll have to go back tomorrow, so I'll be here again," Naomi smiled. The twins cheered as Arthur sank into his chair. "Something wrong, Arthur?" Naomi asked. He shook his head before picking at his stir-fry. His appetite was gone, and he really wished he could hide out somewhere for the next few days.

To make matters worse, when he did get alone time with Buster, all he could talk about was how beautiful Naomi was, how funny she was, and how she thought Buster was so funny. Arthur lay across his bed and stared out the window.

"Arthur, are you even listening to me?" Buster asked. Arthur nodded weakly. "You just don't seem that interested. How could you not like her? You liked that one back in the day," Buster grinned. Arthur scoffed, "I was a child then. I've grown up now, and I should be the one here, not her."

Buster sighed, "You need to take advantage of that arm, man. Girls love an injured man because they want to take care of him. Remember when my mom dated that guy in a wheelchair? He was a complete mess when she got to know him, but before that, she couldn't wait to take care of him. She even looked at probably date sites ahead of time to make sure he could get in. It was gross."

"Are you comparing me to Thomas, the extra-rude guy in a wheelchair who called your mom a worthless pig on their third date for not taking a phone call from work?" Arthur asked coldly. Buster blushed and laughed weakly, "A little," he admitted.

Arthur groaned loudly, "I'm not going to take advantage of this stupid arm because girls like me more. I don't want them fighting over me. You've seen how they get when they start fighting over a guy."

"And the guy always benefits, always, even George. When he came to Elwood City tall, dark, handsome, and not klutzy anymore, the girls were all over him. Now he's on the hottie list and has a date every week with a different girl, unless he likes the same girl. But if he wants a different one, he has the choice. You could be George!"

"I'm still me, just with…well, a Smurf arm like DW said," Arthur sighed. "Don't get me hopes up, okay? You're my best friend, and you usually give great advice, but milking this will only start trouble. I don't like that. I don't like any of this."

"Well get used to it because that thing is your life for the next month or more," Buster said, patting Arthur's good shoulder and letting himself out, careful to give a funny goodbye to Naomi before leaving. She laughed heartily, and Arthur really felt sick this time. He managed to let the feeling pass, but he knew deep down that Buster was right, and this bad feeling was something to adjust to slowly but surely.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three_

|Getting to Know Naomi|

Arthur expected Naomi when he returned from school the next day. He didn't want to see her after being surrounded by concerned girls trying to do his bidding at school, but he had no choice. He plopped his books on the bed and moved into the kitchen, where Naomi was waiting for the twins' bus to arrive.

"So three days a week, they have preschool classes?" Naomi asked. Arthur nodded, opening the fridge to evaluate the snack situation. A fruit platter sat on the bottom shelf, and Arthur knew by Naomi's glances that this was something she'd brought in for the Read's to enjoy. "You really like taking care of your family, don't you?"

"I was all my parents had when the twins were born. My dad's dad was in a nursing home because of his Alzheimer's disease and his mom had just broken her hip. Everyone else was busy, so I became caretaker. It's a rewarding job," Arthur murmured, taking a seat as far from Naomi as he could while still sitting in the room. Naomi respected his space, shifting as she eyed the street.

"That's why I like nursing. You really help people, you know? You really help them get through their problems. And that's why I started babysitting. Like you, I have a handful of siblings, and I had to take care of them until they were old enough to do it themselves. I personally doubt DW will be ready any time soon," Naomi smiled, gauging Arthur's reaction. He smiled as well. "But Kate is already there, and soon the twins will be too. Did you know they had their own secret language?"

"Yes. How did you find out?" Arthur asked. Naomi showed Arthur his parents' note, "I came in at noon, so I had to put the twins on the bus at one, then help with laundry, and now I'm waiting for snack time, homework time, and ah, the bus," Naomi smiled, nearly bouncing to the front door to greet the twins. They stormed the house like a herd of antelope, vibrating the floor as they ran into the kitchen. Like clockwork, the girls walked up a moment later and moved into the kitchen for a brief snack before homework.

Arthur waited patiently as the house calmed down into the lull between snack time and dinner time. Naomi busied herself by cleaning up juice spills and helping the twins wash the sticky fruit juice from their skin. When she was done, everyone had left the room…except Arthur.

"I take you're being more friendly today?" Naomi guessed, pulling out a container to store the remaining fruit. She offered Arthur another slice, but he shook his head, "I just…I'm going to be out of commission for a month, and since my parents seem to like you, I want to get to know you. Start with schooling. What's your history?"

"Well, I started in public school when it was time," she said, finishing her storage job and joining Arthur at the breakfast table again, maintaining the distance to Arthur's relief. "I went to Lakewood Elementary like Kate. The only teacher I really remember is Miss Sweetwater. She was the last one I had before my mom married a Catholic man. I was sent to St. Mary's the next year and I was there until I graduated last year," she sighed. "It's hard being ahead in public school, but St. Mary's was tiny. The teachers didn't mind pushing people like me through, especially since Metropolis University was willing to accept me into the nursing program. That's why I'm ahead," she said, exhaling slowly.

"You remind me of some people I go to school with," Arthur murmured. Naomi asked him to speak up, so he repeated himself a little louder. She sat back in her chair, "Oh? How so?"

"Your fashion, your looks," Arthur shrugged. "You just felt familiar to me for that reason, but not in a good way. I hope I'm wrong about you, but I know your type. The girls at school aren't that nice. They want you to think they are, but everyone knows they're just trying to get ahead like everyone else. They just choose dirtier methods, of course."

"I'm not one of those girls. I embraced my step-father's Catholic culture, Arthur. I go through life as the Lord would want me to," Naomi smiled, leaning forward, "I don't mind if your family isn't religious. I'm used to that up here. I want to explain to the twins though, if you think your parents won't mind."

"I don't know how they feel. Just no lies, of course, and nothing about that little scandal problem. They're too young to know about that," Arthur clarified. Naomi laughed, "Yeah, that right there is why I like being an honest Catholic. The Church has problems, but those scandals are over. The Pope—"

"He's trying to clean things up. I know," Arthur nodded. "I took a current events class last year so I know all about him. All I'm saying is that the kids don't need to know just yet, and you should keep everything else simple too."

Naomi nodded softly, leaning back in her chair again, "I had a feeling you'd warm up to me. You try to look distant, but you watch every move I make, proving you had interest in me. I know you were also trying to make sure I wasn't one of those old witch babysitters who wanted your younger siblings for some potion or ritual," Naomi laughed, and Arthur smiled as well. "I'm here to help your family, Arthur. It's the least I can do to pay you back for being such a good big brother all these years. Recover, and when you're done, go out and start making a life for yourself. I'll be here with the kids, and things will be…like a fairytale," she sighed happily.

"I thought you were going to get a nursing job soon," Arthur said, "within the next year or two after you pass your test," he added. Naomi paled a little before leaning back in her chair again. Arthur couldn't read her, but he felt like she looked nervous.

"We'll just have to see what happens, won't we?" she smiled. She looked up to the clock and reminded Arthur about his homework. Arthur nodded, heading up to his room. Yesterday, his thoughts were swimming with the new details that were intriguing. Today his thoughts were questioning Naomi's true nature, and trying to determine what lies were being told to his family.

|Hidden Dangers?|

The next day, Arthur was grouped with Sue Ellen and Buster for a science project. Sue Ellen wanted to meet at Arthur's house, and Buster was quick to agree. They entered Arthur's home and found Naomi playing with the twins in the front room. The teens quickly moved upstairs, and though Buster's mood had improved, Sue Ellen's mood had soured.

"What's the topic again?" she asked darkly, snatching up her notebook and flipping to a clean page. Arthur reminded her and she nodded carefully, writing the word with almost too much precision. "And what parts do we want to do? Arthur, you need something hands-off, don't you?" Sue Ellen asked.

"I thought we could all help build the model. Arthur's house has plenty of space, and Naomi could help us if Arthur can't," Buster grinned. Sue Ellen's face twisted as she resisted the urge to kick him. She composed herself, shaking her head, "We need to completely divide up the work. One of us should do all the building, one of us all the writing, and one of us all the research. Arthur, you should do the research. It's the most hands-off of the jobs. And you shouldn't use this Naomi for help. It's our project, not theirs."

"It was just an offer," Buster muttered, crossing his arms and sitting back in his chair. Arthur ignored him, "I like that idea, Sue Ellen. I don't want her helping me. She might not even know what…that is," Arthur stammered. He didn't really know what they were doing, but he assumed that was the purpose of the school project in the first place.

Sue Ellen's mood seemed to change and she sat up more in her seat, "That means you'll have to bounce between the two of us this week. I want to do the writing part, which means a lot of library time. My mom won't mind driving us to and from the library if you're not up for walking," she smiled, her voice taking on a seductive tone.

"I want to build the model here, just in case my mom thinks it's just a bunch of junk," Buster chuckled. That happened the year before, also within a group containing Arthur and Sue Ellen. Francine was in their group too and she was definitely the most angered of all of them, seeing that she put in half the work of their very late model.

"You can build it at my house in my art studio," Sue Ellen corrected. "Arthur can help you with the model and me with any writing," she said through clinched teeth, seeing that Buster wanted to counter her. Rage was in her eyes, and Buster yielded, agreeing to start the building as soon as they told him what to build. Sue Ellen smiled, "Arthur and I will decide once we start research. In fact, we should start now. I have my tablet with me if you have wireless internet."

Arthur helped her log on and the teens began preliminary research for their school project. But soon, a knock sounded at the door: Naomi was concerned about the three teens being alone behind closed doors. Sue Ellen was quick to protest, "We're just doing a class project! The kids are too loud for the door to be open so just deal with it!"

"No, it's okay," Arthur said, standing and opening the door. "See, we're working. My parents don't mind. We've all known each other for years," he explained, pointing to a class photo from third grade on the wall next to the door. Naomi smiled softly, touching the frame. "We need to get back to work," Arthur called to her. She snapped out of her trance and nodded firmly.

"I'm going to check on you every few minutes. And dinner is at six, but I don't know if there's enough for two extra people," Naomi explained, eying Buster and Sue Ellen carefully. Sue Ellen's head remained locked on the tablet, but her voice carried throughout the room, "I have to go home then anyway. Arthur, will you help me decipher this? Research is your task," Sue Ellen smiled, a victorious smile once Naomi was gone.

Later, when Sue Ellen was gone and dinner was over, Buster remained in Arthur's room to discuss the project, but namely the girls. Arthur sighed as he lay on his bed, "I knew this was going to happen, Buster. I don't think Naomi is a brat like Muffy and Sue Ellen, but if Sue Ellen sees her as a threat, who knows what could happen?"

"What makes you think Naomi isn't one of those? She certainly looks like one, and a girl with her looks must know she's attractive. But maybe she has low standards. Maybe she'd even date a guy like me…if I break my arm like you did," Buster sighed, his ears flopping down as he put his head on the desk. "I'll never have luck with the ladies like you do."

"I don't want any of them!" Arthur hissed, raising up in bed. "I want my life to go back to the way it was before that stupid biking accident. She's taking over my house, Buster! She wants me to get a job just like my parents do. She'll be with the kids, she told me. She doesn't mind it. But she mentioned being a nurse, and when I asked her about it—"

"Those nursing tests are hard, and she was already doubting the classwork," Buster offered, lifting up as well. "Maybe she's being practical and thinking of a backup plan. I'd do the same thing if I was smart and good-looking like her."

"Well I think she's lying about something," Arthur said, looking out the window. "And I want to see my parents. They were gone before I got up again. They never did that when I was in charge, and I don't understand what Grandma Thora would need so much help with anyway. We cleaned her house out years ago to make it easier for her to move around, and with those new neighbors, someone is always keeping an eye on her."

"Maybe they're the ones lying," Buster said, smiling softly. "Maybe they're using this time to go on dates or go dancing or something. Your parents do love each other, you know. It's the first time they've been able to do something like this since the twins were born."

"You're right, but something still isn't right about Naomi," Arthur whispered, listening as she led the twins to the bathroom. "The kids seem to like her, so I don't think she's a bad caretaker or anything. There's something else about her, something personal."

"I wouldn't worry about it. You've wanted a job since you were fourteen. Now you have that chance. Take it if the kids are safe," Buster shrugged, eying the clock. "I need to get back and start planning out this model. Everything's due next Friday, right?" he asked, gathering his things. Arthur nodded, watching his friend leave. He'd be alone with Buster gone, giving him more alone time with Naomi. He shuddered at the thought, but he also wanted to pursue her. What if she was a danger? He needed to know, even if no one would believe him.

|Questions and Answ—More Questions|

The next day after school, Muffy and Sue Ellen practically kidnapped Arthur, pulling him into Muffy's limo and heading off in some unknown direction. The devious smile on the girls' faces told Arthur something was up. He just didn't know what…until Muffy started to run her notorious loud mouth.

"We want to meet this Naomi character, well I do," Muffy said, laughing poshly. "You always have to examine the help to make sure they're the right match for you. When Mother had Eric, we had to do the same process to find the perfect nanny. Believe me, it's very difficult with how deceptive people can be. There are always signs though, always," Muffy said firmly.

Arthur nodded, refusing to argue with her logic. She remembered the Crosswire's nanny, a Latina woman who was stealing their valuable in order to send more money home. Arthur remembered his parents disagreeing with the Crosswire's and their decision to charge the woman for the theft. She would remain in the United States for five years while serving time in prison. After that, she would be deported to her home region, a country Arthur couldn't remember. He did know the place had been the scene of unrest for years thanks to his current events class, and he found himself hoping the woman and her family would be alright. He hoped Naomi wasn't doing the same thing, though it's not like they could deport her.

"Here we are," Bailey called, leaving the car to open the door. In elementary and middle school, Muffy would enter and exit the car without Bailey's help. Now that her parents' snobby ways had rubbed off on her, she always had him do everything for her.

"Just go park somewhere until we're done. This might take a while," Muffy said, patting Bailey's arm before making her way up the front walk, her heels clacking on the concrete. "Wow, your house looks different than I remember, Arthur. What happened?" Muffy asked.

"It's a new house, just a few doors down from the old one," Arthur said, pointing to his childhood home up the street. Muffy shrugged, looking the property over carefully. "Is something wrong with this place?"

"No," she sighed, picking at a shrub next to the door. It had withered since they buried Pal beneath it. It was his favorite spot when they moved. Sadly, the little dog didn't realize this was his permanent home, and during one of his trips back to the old house, he was hit by a car. It still hurt Arthur to think about it, and seeing Muffy being so critical made him even more angry.

"Let's just go inside. I assume this Naomi character will be there?" Sue Ellen asked. Arthur shrugged, unlocking the door and leading the girls inside. He discovered the house to be empty, and the note on the refrigerator said both Read parents would be home around six. Naomi's number was listed in case Arthur needed her, but otherwise he was on his own.

"Well this is disappointing, Arthur Read," Muffy spat, running her finger over the chair rail next to the door, grimacing as she inevitably found the dust she was looking for. "We should stay, Sue Ellen. I think Arthur needs our help caring for…what are their names again?"

"I'll be fine without you both," Arthur assured Muffy, namely. Sue Ellen shook her head, "We have a project to take care of, so if you don't mind…," Sue Ellen hinted, opening the door just as the twins' bus appeared.

"I'll be fine as well," Muffy smiled, looking Arthur over as the twins ran inside looking for Naomi. Arthur moved them into the kitchen to begin preparing their snack, but he couldn't open the container on his own. Muffy and Sue Ellen through themselves at him, both of them eager to open the container. As they did, DW and Kate arrived, and DW looked completely disgusted.

"Who are these people? Where's Naomi?" she asked coldly, looking over Muffy the same way Muffy had looked over the home. Muffy scoffed, "I know you remember me, DW. Muffy? Muffy Crosswire?" she asked. DW shook her head, looking to Arthur, "I was talking to him. What's going on?"

"Mom and Dad will be here later, so it's just me. Muffy and Sue Ellen were just leaving, unless Sue Ellen wants to work on our project, then she may stay until five," Arthur said firmly. "Muffy, you need to go. DW, why don't you walk her out?"

"No, I'll walk myself out. Do tell me when Naomi is going to be here," Muffy smiled poshly, handing Arthur a business card with her full name and cell phone number. Arthur slid it into his pocket and watched her leave. Sue Ellen did as well before reaching for the container and opening it easily.

"DW, will you help me get the snacks distributed so Sue Ellen and I can work?" Arthur asked. DW scoffed, shaking her head as she took her seat. Arthur shrugged, serving everyone and moving to the dining room to sit with Sue Ellen. Now that Muffy was gone and they were away from the kids, her bratty attitude seemed to fade.

"I'm sorry about how Muffy is acting. I told her about Naomi and she was curious about her. She wanted to know if she was taking good care of everyone. I guess she is since the kids like her so much," Sue Ellen sighed. "I can make her step back if you'd like."

"No, I don't mind her asking questions. I have plenty of my own, so if she can get answers, so be it," Arthur whispered. Sue Ellen gave him a perplexed look. "It's fine, I assume. I just…I don't know her that well, and I sometimes wonder about her personal life. That's normal though, I guess. You want to know the people serving your family."

"What do you think she's lying about? I mean, this could be serious," Sue Ellen said with a nervous tone. Arthur shook his head, "I think she just isn't being honest about what she's doing with her life. She plans on staying here for a while, and if that's the case, I guess it's okay. If she's not doing anything wrong, she can stay as long as she wants. I need to do something with my life anyway."

Sue Ellen sighed softly, pulling out her tablet and sliding it to him, "I started writing after doing some of my own research. You can still help Buster, but I don't want your help. You need to learn her secrets, just in case. Muffy had a bad experience, and I know it's different than yours, but is it? You won't know until we figure her out, and Muffy is the right person to do that. Well, Fern is, but she doesn't talk to us anymore."

Arthur nodded. Muffy went after Fern their ninth grade year for spending time with a boy she had her eye on. Muffy ruined the mutual friendship the two had because of her own jealousy, and Fern never forgave her. Arthur, however, could still talk to her. He suggested the idea to Sue Ellen, who shrugged softly, "If you think it's needed, let her. She's the greatest young mystery writer in the entire region. If she can make up a mystery from scratch, just imagine what she could do with real facts."

Arthur agreed, and after finishing their snacks, Sue Ellen asked if Arthur needed his help around the house. With the kids settled in their usual after school places, Arthur decided she could leave. He had Sue Ellen's number in case that changed, and if he did need help, he knew he'd probably call her well before calling Naomi. Until he knew who she was outside the Read home, he had to be cautious.

* * *

><p>AN: Hi guys, I hope you're enjoying the piece. I just wanted to let everyone know that Naomi's World will have a prequel! It's called "Arthur's Baby Problems" and it's about the origin of Ricky and Vicky. Why did the Read family move to a bigger house? Why did they have two more kids in the first place? You'll find the answers in "Arthur's Baby Problems," coming soon. (I'm also thinking of doing a sequel but I haven't decided yet)

Also, I have a Twitter account, where I'll post some of my writing news from time to time (as well as retweet awesome stuff from other people far more awesome than me). Follow me DASLChrys


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter Four_

|Confirming No One's Fears|

After having dinner, Jane called Arthur into her office to talk to him about Naomi and the past few days. Arthur sat down, listening to his mother chatter on about being at Grandma Thora's house going through documents. She was selling her home to pay fees for a retirement community she planned on moving to, and because it was an extensive process, they planned on being there multiple nights throughout the next few weeks or months, depending on how long everything took.

"I'm telling you this, son, because we're going to need Naomi to be here much more often. She was gone today because she was getting things in order. She'll stop her nursing classes and move into a rental suite next door. You won't have to worry about a thing, and when you're better, you'll be able to get a job," Jane smiled. She eyed her son carefully; he didn't seem that enthusiastic about this new plan. "Arthur, are you okay with this?"

"So she really is in nursing school?" he asked. Jane nodded slowly, not knowing why he would ask such a question. "But she's just going to quit to take care of us?" he added. Jane nodded again, and Arthur sighed heavily, "I want more information, real transcripts or something. I don't think she's telling us the truth about some things."

"Well, her references checked out, and I know the school well. She's attending classes there, Arthur. I'm sure of it," Jane assured him. Arthur didn't react much, and Jane could tell he still had his doubts. "Arthur, sometimes you have to trust people. I know you're upset about letting someone else do your job, but you have no choice right now. Naomi is staying next door, she'll be taking care of all of you, end of story," Jane said quickly, looking up as David entered the room.

"Hey, do you think I should include the manual for the stove? She'll be needing it if we can't get home for dinner," David smiled. Arthur sighed, shrinking out of the room feeling more defeated than ever. He couldn't believe his parents weren't being more cautious, and he knew deep down that he had to talk to Fern.

|Answers and More Questions|

Fern looked up from her table in the library. Books were spread all over the place, most of them nonfiction books relating to science. Fern must have the same class, Arthur thought, tapping her shoulder with his good hand. She looked up fully this time, looking Arthur over carefully.

"You won't get much sympathy from me, Arthur Read. If you need something, figure out how to reach it yourself," Fern said fiercely. Arthur shook his head, "I don't need help reaching anything. I wouldn't ask someone a question like that," he sighed. Fern nodded, gesturing for him to take a seat across from her. "I need your help with a mystery of sorts, if you don't mind."

"Sue Ellen warned me about this," Fern whispered, leaning forward. "Muffy stole her cell phone number, by the way. She's been texting her nonstop since last night. Watch yourself around her. Who knows what that girl told her?"

"What do you mean by that? Do you already know something I don't?" Arthur asked with an undertone of fear. Fern smiled lightly, turning the page of her current book and looking back down to her work, "I just know what she's been asking about. I've been sworn to secrecy about that, but…I'm willing to do some research on this Naomi character. Sue Ellen is helping me. She wouldn't at first, but I told her a few innocent searches online wouldn't do much anyway. She believed me and researched her school, St. Mary's."

Arthur nodded, shifting in his seat, "What did she find when she did the search?"

Fern leaned forward and slid him a piece of notebook paper. Arthur recognized Sue Ellen's handwriting, but he wasn't expecting the message: 'Naomi telling the truth. Graduated early, was allowed to have senior photo from Metropolis U. I'll keep looking for more info.'

"So she was at St. Mary's and left early to attend Metropolis University," Arthur nodded. "Do you think we'll actually find anything?"

"Honestly, Arthur, I don't know, but you need to keep an open mind," Fern whispered, getting back to her work. "I'll keep in touch with you, but don't expect much. And don't tip her off in case she gets angry. This girl is taking care of your younger siblings."

Arthur nodded, looking up as the bell rang. He had to get to his first class, but his mind was racing. Naomi was telling the truth about her school history, but the girls were hiding something else. He'd have to wait all day to find out what that was, but he almost wished he could find out sooner.

|Running Away|

Arthur entered his home to find Naomi flipping through a magazine in the living room. This was the twins' third class day for the week, and Arthur thought he could hear their bus moving up the neighboring streets. As he moved downstairs after putting down his things, he found Naomi piecing together peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the kitchen.

"Did your parents tell you I'm moving in next door?" Naomi asked happily. Arthur nodded gently before taking a seat at the breakfast table. "You aren't as excited as me, but hey, it's my life," she laughed, finishing the sandwiches and beginning to cut them into small squares. "I've put my classes on hold, but we were about to go into the work place. I was nervous anyway, so I'll just try again next time, whenever that is."

"I thought you really wanted to be a nurse," Arthur said, turning to look at her. Naomi shrugged, "I don't really know anymore. I want to take care of people, children namely, and hey, look, I'm doing that right now. I'm happy, Arthur. I think it's really sweet that you're concerned about my happiness," she smiled, looking up as the twins entered the room.

Arthur slinked into the den during the chaos of everyone arriving home at once. He was not concerned for her happiness, but the tone of her voice…it reminded him of someone, namely all the girls he'd overheard at school talking to their boyfriend of the week. Muffy's voice came to mind, especially lately when she was around Arthur.

Arthur shuddered. Naomi was his babysitter, his caretaker, if you really wanted to look at the facts. She shouldn't be falling for his charges. It was their job to fall in love with her, just like when Arthur was younger and developed a crush on Sally McGill. He got over that crush quicker than any other, namely because he quickly learned about the line between caretaker and their charges. If Naomi was crossing that….

Arthur's sick feeling returned. The more he discovered about Naomi, the more he wanted her out of his home. How could he make such a stupid mistake to start this madness in the first place? His bright, blue cast was merely a reminder of his dumb mistake, and he eyed it with contempt as he stared at the television, still off from a quiet day in the empty Read household. He wanted to disappear, get away from it all. The urge was unmistakable, and a moment later, he found himself at the telephone, the line ringing even though he couldn't remember dialing anything.

"Hey, Arthur, what's up?" Buster called. Arthur nodded; of course he'd called Buster. "Arthur, hello?"

"Hey, I need to come over. Do you mind?" Arthur asked. Buster shrugged, "Sure, but it's leftover night. I'd bring a snack," he whispered. "Mom mixed up her spices and ruined some chicken. You might like it but I…I'll see you when you get here," he chuckled nervously before slamming down the phone.

Arthur moved upstairs and gathered his homework supplies. He told Naomi and the girls where he was going, then he rushed out the door, catching the city bus just as it reached a nearby stop. Within five minutes, he was at Buster's door, watching him scarf down a large slice of pizza.

"Mom changed her mind. Come in, Arthur, please, before the delicious pizza smell blows all over the place!" Buster exclaimed, rushing back to the table to continue eating. Arthur left his backpack by the door before joining Buster and his mother at the table. His sick feeling was gone, and thanks to the Baxter's, he felt like a young kid again, still in third grade without all the problems of his sixteen-year-old self.


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter Five_

|Piles of Problems|

It was ten when Arthur moved into his darkened house. A blue glow was coming from the den, so he knew that Naomi was there waiting. She looked frazzled, but the house seemed to be in order. Arthur tried to simply brush past her, but she'd been waiting for him, listening for every sound. She called out to him from behind, so he stopped mid-step. But he refused to turn around.

"Your parents called to see how things were going and they told me you could've spent the night with Buster if it was alright with Mrs. Baxter," Naomi whispered. She leaned against the wall as Arthur turned to see her. "I decided not to tell you because I felt you should've been home in your own bed. Do you forgive me?"

Arthur nodded, looking her over. She'd changed into some fairly skimpy night clothes, a stringy, white tank top and some very short shorts. Her feet were tucked into some pink, fuzzy slippers, and despite how tired Arthur felt, his nose detected something new and flowery, probably perfume.

"I need to get to my new home, but I hope you respect my rules over your parents. You're too young to be out on your own, even at a friend's house," Naomi smiled, puffing out her lip to look defeated. Arthur realized what she was trying to do; the skimpy clothes proved it. "Good night, Artie," Naomi grinned, returning to den to gather her things before slipping out the door.

Arthur was stunned. He locked the door before moving into his room and sitting on the foot of the bed. He found his cell phone under his pillow and he looked it over. Sure enough, his parents had texted him to tell him it was okay for him to spend the night, but Naomi had sent a "Please be home by ten" with a cute smiley face. She wanted him to see her tonight. She just didn't realize he didn't have his phone.

But he had it now, and he quickly shot Buster a text, knowing he always stayed up with Bitzi to watch late night television. Buster called him a moment later, eager for every detail. When Arthur was done telling him everything, Buster was stunned into silence.

"What should I do, Buster?" Arthur asked. Buster chuckled nervously, "I…I don't really know, Arthur. Did she really call you Artie or are you joking with me?" he asked. Arthur sighed, "Would I really joke about something like this? Please, I need to know what I should do to put an end to this."

"Well, it gets worse," Buster muttered. Arthur felt a pang run through him. They'd spent hours together, but Buster never even let on that he knew some other sort of secret. "Arthur, I found some notes in our locker at the end of school. I know you have gym so you don't stop by, so…I decided to hide them. Three different girls sent a note. Fern's was in code, but the other two were anonymous. The girls are going crazy for you!"

Arthur sighed, laying back on his bed with a thump, "I don't want any of this."

"Well, you're in this mess. I wish you the best, but Leno is about to come on. Sorry…Artie," Buster snorted, ending the call before Arthur could yell at him for such a cruel joke.

Arthur stared at his ceiling, his good hand still gripping his cell phone despite the sweat building in his palm. He was so confused about life, so unsure what to do. And despite his problems with Naomi, he seemed to have even more problems at school, girl problems at that. He was dumbfounded, yet he somehow fell asleep.

|Love Notes and More Mysteries|

Arthur managed to get the twins settled with Naomi very quickly. She was dressed more appropriately in a t-shirt with a kitten on it, but Arthur couldn't get the image of her previous outfit out of his head. He left the house quickly, joining Buster at the bus stop. Once seated near the rear of the bus, Buster pulled the anonymous notes out of his backpack.

"Are you sure you want to do this? You look really frazzled this morning," Buster whispered. Arthur shrugged, "I'm not sure they'll make me feel much worse. Just show me and get it over with."

Buster passed him Fern's note first. Fern was simply asking for another meeting so they could talk, but she forgot to sign it so Buster thought it was a love letter like the others. Next was a note with familiar handwriting to both the boys. Arthur recognized it as Muffy's because the I's were dotted with hearts filled in with a completely different color. She wanted a date with Arthur if he was willing to call her, but Arthur's blushing showed Buster he just wasn't up for such a thing.

The last note made Arthur turn blank-faced again. The handwriting wasn't recognizable, and unlike Muffy's business-only note, this one was purely a sign of love. It was written poetically with some sort of rhyme scheme and meter. Arthur wasn't really sure, but he didn't exactly care. He wanted to know who would write such a thing, but he had no idea whose handwriting it was.

"Hey, Buster, can I…?" Brain said, turning around and stopping mid-sentence. "Oh, sorry, I didn't realize you were so busy. I'll ask someone else from English."

"It's the two stories, not just one," Buster muttered. "Arthur, are you okay?"

"Girl troubles?" Brain asked. Buster nodded, looking back to his friend, who was still staring down at the notes. "Well, if you need my help, I don't mind. I don't know much about girls though. I prefer to stick to my education."

"I try to do that, but this thing is a chick magnet," Arthur sighed, holding up his cast and knocking the notes to the floor. Both boys let them stay there; it's not like Arthur even wanted them in the first place. Brain smiled weakly, "Well, if you'd like my help, I can figure out who wrote those notes. Could you pass them here?" he requested. Buster nodded, grabbing the mystery note first.

"This is the only one he doesn't recognize. How long should it take you?" Buster asked. Brain took the note and thought for a moment, "I don't really know how long it'll take, but I plan to be thorough. I'll use some of the latest handwriting recognition programs, but if there isn't a sample to compare to, I might be out of luck. I recently read a book on this sort of thing, and judging by the handwriting, this person seems older. Many of the popular girls or flirty girls make their s's and a's like in that note," Brain pointed to the note on the floor. He pushed the mystery note closer, "This was more popular about five years ago."

"Five years ago? Did a teacher write that?" Buster gasped. Brain shook his head, "I doubt that, and I could be wrong, but I'd say this person is nearly twenty, maybe two or three years younger to be safe. Do you know anyone like that?"

Buster was about to tell him 'yes', but Arthur immediately protested, "No, I don't know anyone older. Thanks for your help, Brain. You're a real pal," Arthur smiled nervously, standing as the bus reached the departure area at Elwood City High. Once far away from Brain, Buster caught up to Arthur and asked why he'd lie about such a thing.

Arthur sighed heavily, "He just confirmed what I feared. Naomi wrote that note and got it into my locker somehow. I wonder if she and Muffy are working together or something, whether Muffy realizes it or not. She may've told Naomi to do this thinking it would turn me off or whatever. I am turned off by all of this. I'm like Brain; I just want to study and focus on my work. Why do all these girls insist on falling in love with me?"

"I don't know, but maybe you should keep your head down for a while. Maybe all this will go away," Buster offered, but Arthur could hear how skeptical he sounded. "Hey, you can outrun Muffy any day of the week, but Naomi is at your house, right next door too. You can't escape her. Just try to keep positive, and maybe you're wrong," Buster laughed nervously. Arthur shook his head, brushing past him and heading towards the library. "Are you going to talk to Fern?"

"I'm going to hide," Arthur replied firmly. Buster sighed heavily, watching his friend disappear into the crowd. He felt for him, but he also didn't understand the attention either. He wished his friend could be free, but he knew it was probably just beginning. As long as that cast was on his arm and he was an injured man, the girls would keep flocking, and Buster silently wished his friend the best.

|Sickness|

Arthur was eating lunch alone when he heard Muffy's distinct laugh behind him. He knew she had Buster's lunch period, yet here she was with Sue Ellen, a bright smile on her face. They took the extra seats at Arthur's table without asking, slinking down as a few sets of female eyes darted in their direction. Arthur swallowed, feeling sick again. He was the center of all female attention and he hated it.

"Oh, Arthur, I'm so glad I was able to see you today. My class changed lunches so we could work longer on an experiment. Isn't that exciting?" Muffy smiled, popping a small, cherry tomato into her mouth as she leaned towards Arthur. "I'll be here tomorrow."

Arthur felt really sick now, and he turned away hoping to find a trashcan nearby. He saw none, but luckily the feeling passed when he couldn't see a drooling female taking up his vision.

"You know, we were thinking of stopping by today, seeing that you and Sue Ellen really need to work on that project," Muffy smirked. Sue Ellen elbowed her, "No, we're fine. Please, don't—"

"Stop it, Sue Ellen. You know I just want to get to know this Naomi character, for his family's sake. I mean, we don't even know if that's her real name, do we?" Muffy gasped, popping a baby carrot in her mouth as Sue Ellen exhaled gently with defeat. "Arthur, have you done any research about her? I know some wonderful private detectives who wouldn't mind doing a favor for the friend of a Crosswire, especially a favor like this."

"It's fine," Arthur murmured, that sick feeling returning as Muffy stared deep at him. He looked around but still saw no way out, so he did something he didn't expect: He stood and ran towards the boys' restroom at the back of the cafeteria.

"How rude!" Muffy cried as he ran off, but Sue Ellen defended him, remaining seated as she saw him duck into the bathroom as a teacher ran after him. A few minutes later, the teacher escorted a very pale Arthur towards the nurse's office, and Sue Ellen found herself feeling terrible.

"You shouldn't talk to him tomorrow. I won't either," Sue Ellen said. Muffy scoffed, "Nonsense, Suey. I'm this close and you're telling me to back off? What's wrong with you?" Muffy asked darkly. Sue Ellen gasped, "What's wrong with me?! You're the one making him sick! I've never seen him look so terrible before. You're scaring him!"

Muffy laughed derisively, looking to her friend with a devious expression, "Arthur Read won't be scared of me. He'll be in love with me. He'll want to date me and treat me like a real lady. That is…unless you want him instead," Muffy said, leaning forward as Sue Ellen shook her head and backed away. "I want him, and that's why I have Naomi's number. That's also why you need to get your priorities straight. You and I cannot be friends if you're going to try to take what's rightfully mine."

"Arthur isn't property!" Sue Ellen hissed, gathering her things. "Ever since you started treating Fern like trash, I've stopped liking you. We're done, Muffy, and if you ever call me again, I'll tell the whole school your dirtiest secrets," Sue Ellen said darkly, huffing off to the tray return. She stood by the doors waiting for the lunch period to end while a very shocked Muffy stared into space, wondering if her plans had gone wrong.

|Swaying Sides?|

Arthur entered the house as quietly as he could, settling in his room with a bottle of water and a container of leftovers. The nurse let him go home early, thinking he was in pain from his bad break. The way she sounded, Arthur was the talk of the school even before he darted out during lunch. At least he didn't get sick in the middle of the cafeteria, he thought, sinking into his bed.

"Arthur, are you in there?" Jane called, gently knocking on the door. Arthur rose up as it opened and his mother smiled to him. "Hey, son, I got a call from the nurse that you'd be home early. How are things with you? This isn't something that normally happens to you," she said, referencing how DW managed to come home early due to sickness at least once every few weeks.

"I'm having trouble at school, girl trouble," Arthur sighed, sitting up on his bed. "How could breaking my arm make all the girls see me differently? I'm waiting on them to act like lions and start attacking each other. It's disgusting."

"Girls are sympathetic, Arthur, and they probably just want to make sure you're being taken care of," Jane smiled, sitting beside him and rubbing his hair. "I want you to be honest with me some more while we're on the subject. How is Naomi acting towards you?"

"Just as strange as the others," Arthur shuddered, blushing as his mind toyed with the idea of telling his mother about her seductive outfit the night before. Before he could say another word, Jane sighed and stood up, "I suspected as much. The neighbors saw her come over last night not long before you got home wearing some pretty slinky clothes. Did she try anything?"

"No, just talking," Arthur said, gulping slightly. Was Naomi getting in trouble for the outfit?

"So she puts on that outfit and comes over just because? I thought I told her to pass on that you could stay longer," Jane sighed, leaning against the wall. Arthur shook his head, holding up his cell phone, "I didn't have my phone on me, but…she didn't try to tell me to stay the night. In fact, she told me to be home by ten."

Jane sighed again, standing straight again, "I'm asking questions about her because I got a call from someone claiming to know Millicent Crosswire. They want to do a free background check and investigation on our behalf, a favor to the children. They mentioned she might be sending you notes at school and other strange goings-on. The outfit thing was just a coincidence, but I want your father to consider taking the offer. Right now he's skeptical because of how the Crosswire's can act sometimes, but…you need to talk to him. He was supposed to see Thora tonight, but he should come straight home. I'll go call him right now."

Arthur lay back on his bed, his mind swimming. His parents were finally behind him, it seemed, but he wondered if his father would be swayed by her good looks and amazing personality. Either way, all this girl trouble was making Arthur feel ill again, and he wondered if he could just go to sleep and forget it all.


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter Six_

|Arguments and Ailments|

David entered Arthur's room and gently awakened him. Arthur was covered in cold sweat, and as soon as he rose up, he had the urge to be sick. He made it to the upstairs bathroom just in time, his father following him and giving a distinct 'Help me' look to Jane as she ran to see what the problem was.

"You see what I mean, David? All of his girl troubles are making him sick, and Naomi isn't helping. I know she seems like a good fit, but maybe we should try someone else," Jane smiled weakly, watching as David shook his head firmly in defiance, "He's got a stomach bug just like plenty of other kids. Arthur, come downstairs when you can and we'll talk," David said, leading his wife downstairs, or trying to.

Jane pulled away, "No, I won't let you talk me out of this. We're done with her before we even attempt an investigation. I want my son to be healthy and safe, not sick and afraid of some questionable floozy."

"We don't know if she was being floozy. Mrs. Crabapple is always misunderstanding the kids' fashion. Francine came over in a turtleneck once and she complained. Naomi was probably just in some capris that went too far up her calf. It's fine," David sighed, sinking onto the couch.

"Well I trust Amanda. She's not as old as you're making her sound, David, and she was complaining about how rude Francine was because she entered the house through the garage without knocking. Don't you remember? Arthur was pumping his bike—"

"It doesn't matter," David groaned, leaning his head back in frustration. "Naomi is a good fit for our family. At least give her a chance to explain herself before you label her as something she's probably not. Carry out the investigation, see what happens. But even if they find something, we give her the benefit of the doubt. She's done well so far and the kids love her. Deal?" David asked. Jane hesitated, wanting to make the best decision for her oldest son. "Jane, come on, just give her a chance!" David exclaimed.

"You wanted to see me?" Arthur said weakly from the doorway. Jane nodded, escorting him to the couch, "Tell your father exactly what Naomi was wearing the other night. Mrs. Crabapple seemed very concerned, and I just want answers."

"Jane, don't make him do that. Go make him some soup first, get him looking more alive," David protested. Arthur let them argue. He hadn't decided if he should tell them exactly what Naomi was wearing. He'd heard what his father said, and he knew he was right. The kids loved Naomi, poor fashion choices or not.

"Arthur, I'll take care of your needs as soon as you tell him what Naomi was wearing. Are you okay with that?" Jane asked with a concerned tone. Arthur nodded weakly, "I can talk, but it was just a tank top and shorts, Dad. It wasn't that bad," Arthur lied, almost feeling sick again.

"See, she mistook the whole thing. Try to eat some soup, Arthur. I'm going to call the detective, Jane, see what he has to say about all of this," David smiled pompously before disappearing into the master bedroom. Arthur and his mother moved into the kitchen, where Kate was working on math homework.

"Arthur, I saw her last night. Mom, she looked—" Kate said, but Jane cut her off, "You shouldn't eavesdrop, Kate. Finish your homework then head upstairs for your bath. We're handling it."

Kate and Arthur exchanged glances before she obeyed their mother's orders. Kate closed her book without finishing and moved upstairs as quietly as she could. Arthur watched her leave before looking back to his mother, who was heating up a can of chicken noodle soup from her hiding spot.

"You need to tell us if things change, okay?" Jane whispered, looking around nervously. "I'll talk to Kate later about what she saw. I know you felt you needed to protect her if you lied in there," Jane smiled, kissing Arthur's forehead. "Wow, son, you feel really warm. I think you should stay home tomorrow just in case you are coming down with something. Thora and my work can wait when my baby is sick."

Arthur didn't like that idea, but judging by how he felt now, he had no choice but to go along with everything. He just hoped the day wouldn't involve Naomi. While he didn't want her to turn out to be some sort of crazy, now that he was both injured _and_ sick, he wanted her gone, and if that meant some bad news, so be it. He ate his soup diligently before returning upstairs and curling up in his bed, hoping the blanket keeping his head covered could keep the world from reaching him even after he woke up.

|Change of Heart?|

Arthur woke up the next morning not realizing he'd slept as long as he did. He still felt awful, but as he moved downstairs and tried to hone in on the voices he heard, he almost felt worse. His parents were talking to the detective, trying to give enough information about Naomi in order to receive enough back.

"Don't worry, Mr. Read, I worked for Ed for a full year until he was satisfied. He was dealing with a thirty-something-year-old con woman, not a teen like Naomi. I'm sure I'll know everything within the next few days," the detective smiled, standing and eying Arthur carefully, "So, this is the chick magnet I've been hearing about. You're quite handsome, Artie. I think the girls are finally coming around now that you have a beacon to announce your arrival," he chuckled.

Jane laughed nervously, "No one calls him Artie, Mr. Sanders. Do they, Arthur?" Jane asked. Arthur shook his head nervously before sinking into a chair. "He's not feeling well right now, so I think it's time we wrap this up. David, I'll stay with Arthur during the day as planned. Naomi will come by tonight to keep things looking normal."

"Great idea, Mrs. Read, you firecracker, you!" Mr. Sanders laughed, leading the way out the door. David followed, kissing his wife gently. Jane nodded to him, turning back to Arthur, "Come on, we need to get some food in you. Do you feel any better?"

"Not much," Arthur admitted, slowly moving to the breakfast table. "I'm nervous about what he's going to find. If Naomi is being honest, Dad might let her stay around, but what if she's not being honest and she's good at hiding her secrets?" Arthur asked. Jane sighed, sitting across from him after passing him a plate of toast, "She might be good at hiding her secrets, but she's not that good. He stopped a foreign con woman, Arthur. I'm sure Mr. Sanders can handle a girl like Naomi. She seems honest, and she's young, and beautiful. Oh, I don't want her around anymore, Arthur! I don't trust her around you."

Arthur picked at his toast silently, looking up to his mom after a few moments, "I still don't know why this made me so popular all of the sudden. I hurt myself in a stupid accident, but somehow that made me seem so much more handsome."

"It's a strange world you live in, Arthur. Just enjoy your day off, okay? Try to forget about Naomi and the other girls," Jane smiled. Arthur shrugged, putting a little bit of jelly on his toast before moving upstairs to eat it slowly. As he sat down at his desk, he heard his phone buzzed. He looked at it, but he didn't recognize the number, at least until he read the message. Naomi was texting him.

Arthur sighed heavily, and after a few minutes, he replied back. All she'd written was 'How's ur morning?' What could be so dangerous about that? He shrugged, the conversation getting longer and longer. She was making him feel better with jokes and funny pictures, always knowing the right thing to say. And the more Arthur thought about her, he realized she'd done the same for his siblings.

Maybe the outfit and strange behavior was a coincidence. What if he was completely misreading her? What if he'd gotten her wrong all this time and that she really did have good intentions? Arthur wasn't sure, but he did know one thing: He was really going to miss Naomi if this didn't work out, probably more than he'd ever missed Sally McGill.


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter Seven_

|Naomi's Truth|

It was Saturday when Arthur started to feel better. He'd received numerous well-wishes through Buster, who called him the night before, but so far the most sympathetic person was Naomi. She'd been in constant contact with him, providing him with comforting words and an even more comforting sandwich recipe. It was the first solid food Arthur had and he enjoyed it.

Arthur's thoughts were on this sandwich as he answered the front door midmorning. Mr. Sanders was there, a folder in his hand and a smile on his face. He entered briefcase-first into the Read household, taking a seat at the crowded breakfast table like he was one of the gang. Everyone stared, namely the twins because they'd never seen a man like this before. David and Jane had no choice but to pull the man into their master bedroom; Arthur decided to follow and was allowed inside.

"I've found some pretty damning evidence, if you don't mind me saying so," Mr. Sanders grinned, sitting on the foot of the bed—again like he owned the place. The Read's exchanged glances as he opened the folder on his lap. He slyly put on a pair of reading glasses and moved sheets of paper until he came to a photocopied page of yearbook photographs. "This is Naomi, but this isn't St. Mary's School for Girls, and it definitely isn't recent."

"So she's older?" David asked. Mr. Sanders nodded, "Twenty-two to be exact, but this could even be fake. My resources are helping me decipher this right now, but something more important came up. She did leave school a year early, but it wasn't to attend Metropolis University. She's there now, sure, but then?" he asked, smiling widely as he flipped to the next page.

"Is that…a birth certificate?" Jane asked. Mr. Sanders laughed confidently, "Indeed it is, Mrs. Read, a recent one from about five years ago. Naomi's last name is Williams. This is Abigail Leigh Williams, her daughter. She still has custody, and the girl's address is the same as hers. She was living at home up until she moved next door."

"Who's the father?" David asked. Mr. Sanders shrugged, showing him the blank line on the certificate, "But I do know she seems like an honest girl, aside from lying about her age. Her childcare experience is legitimate, and no complaints have been made to Child Protective Services. So if you're okay with this sort of person being around your vulnerable sixteen-year-old boy, so be it, but I think this is plenty of evidence to get rid of her."

"Thank you for your help," Jane smiled, helping Mr. Sanders stand. A moment later, he was gone, and Arthur's parents were locked in the master bedroom discussing Naomi's fate.

Arthur's head was swimming. So she was twenty-something young mother, he thought. She was the vulnerable one, not him. He almost felt sorry for her. He didn't know many people who had children at his age, namely thanks to the public service announcements and plenty of "The Talk's" going around. The few he did know had to give their children up for adoption no matter what, and of the one person he knew that kept their child, they quickly changed their mind, namely because the state took the child away.

As Arthur waited for his parents to decide, he continued texting Naomi as if nothing ever happened. Their conversations were free, bouncing between subjects happily as they discussed celebrities, politics, and local news. Naomi was friendly and had a lot in common with Arthur, and he wondered if an age difference could affect him. He was beginning to daydream about Naomi and him taking care of his siblings, his Smurf arm never hindering him.

Mid-daydream, his parents emerged and moved to the landline. Arthur listened as his father asked Naomi to come over. Arthur gulped and wondered if he should give her a hint of what was to come. As he debated the issue in his mind, his parents asked him to take the kids to the park. Arthur had no choice but to obey; DW had already gotten the twins ready to go. So, in the midst of this crisis, he left the Read house with his siblings, not knowing if Naomi would be a part of the picture when he returned.

|Naomi's Fate|

David looked over Naomi carefully. She was wearing polite clothes, he noted, and she seemed as happy as she always did. He wondered if she knew anything as he exchanged glances with his wife.

"This seems important," Naomi laughed nervously. "What do you want to discuss with me? Do you need more help around the house? Is Arthur alright?"

"Everything is fine, but…we want to learn more about you," Jane explained. David nodded; he wanted her to continue this difficult conversation. "Arthur is friends with someone whose family had a bad experience with a live-in nanny, and they were kind enough to offer some resources to us in order to research your background. We want you to tell us what they might've found that would need to be aired out. The more honest you are, the easier this will be."

"You found out about Abby, didn't you?" Naomi smiled. The Read's nodded. "She's my pride and joy, but…I found that people were being less accepting of me because of her. They assumed I was a…well you know the word. I just happened to make a mistake with my high school boyfriend. We'd been dating since freshman year at Elwood City High, and I was a junior, and…he said the right things. He left me right afterwards, so I never included him in Abby's life. That was a good decision. Teenage boys don't know anything about the world. I leave all people my age and younger alone now. They simply aren't worth the trouble."

"So you went to a different school as well?" David asked. Naomi nodded, "St. Mary's helped me after I did some work for them, and they didn't seem to mind me saying I went there. Abby was my little secret, so it seemed like a good choice. I…I just really love children now that I've had her, so I wanted to work with them. The neighborhood wasn't too accepting, so I branched out and, well, here we are," Naomi smiled. "I love your children, Mr. and Mrs. Read, and I really want this to work out. If you're worried about Arthur, I understand. He's a handsome young man, but really, he's not my type. You have nothing to worry about."

"We thank you for your honesty," Jane nodded with a light smile. "I want you to know we're watching you carefully, but for the time being, I think you can stay. The children love you, and really, you having a child of your own just helps me know you'll do a good job with my children. And if you need help in making the right choices, let me know. It'll be nice to have some practice with young women for when DW gets a little older."

"No problem," Naomi smiled, shaking their hands. They thanked her before sending a quick text to Arthur. He was still at the park with the children, and in a few moments, a grinning Naomi would join them.

|Naomi's "Return"|

The mall's ice cream stand was fairly crowded when the Read children and Naomi arrived, but Naomi took over the task like a business woman. Soon they were at a table licking their various scoops, crowd watching as people bustled past their table.

"Arthur, who was that man in our kitchen this morning?" DW asked. Arthur shook his head, "Just someone who was helping them with some business. They wanted me to talk with them just so I could learn things."

"He looked like a lawyer," Kate noted. She then gasped, "They aren't—"

"No, they're not," Arthur said quickly. Kate stopped midsentence like he wanted. The twins knew about divorce because of the Molina's divorce, so he knew the word would upset them. Kate went back to her strawberry ice cream with a look of relief, making Arthur the nervous one. Should he tell them about Naomi's investigation?

"Sometimes your parents are going to have secret business. It's all a part of being a good parent," Naomi smiled, patting Ricky's head happily. "Your parents were checking on my past to make sure I was who I said I was. I'll admit to you all that I did tell a few white lies, but it was to protect me. Just know I'm a little older than I said."

"Are you over twenty-one?" DW asked. When Naomi nodded, DW got a huge smile on her face. When she was younger, she wanted to be thirteen. Now that she was only a few years from being thirteen herself, twenty-one was her new goal, skipping sixteen and eighteen altogether because Arthur was near those ages, making them gross and unacceptable.

"And…there's someone I'll see if you can meet," Naomi smiled, looking to Vicky and Ricky, both of whom were covered in their ice cream. "She's close to their age, and I think you'll all get along nicely."

DW and Kate both tried to ask questions, but Naomi busied herself in using hand sanitizer to help clean the twins. A few minutes later, they were walking home like normal, and Arthur couldn't help but smile.


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter Eight_

|Changing Tides|

After nine that night, Arthur and Naomi were the only two up in the Read house. Naomi was helping make an inventory of the pantry for David, and Arthur just happened to be in the kitchen looking for a glass of water. Naomi smiled to Arthur as she chewed the end of her pen and eyed the pantry carefully.

"So, you were in the meeting with them?" Naomi asked. Arthur nodded quietly before sitting at the breakfast table to drink his water. "I didn't want to lie to people, but it was the only way to actually get a job. People are pretty traditional around here still, so it's hard. You forgive me, don't you Artie?" she asked coyly. Arthur nodded again. "You're a texter not a talker," she giggled. "So typical of boys your age, but I kind of like it, as long as you're being a good listener."

"Buster tells me I'm a good listener," Arthur said. Naomi nodded with a smile, turning towards him, "I want to run the whole Abby thing past you. Do you think your parents will allow her to meet the others?" she asked. Arthur shrugged. "Yeah, it is pretty uncertain. She's a great kid. My mom is watching her still, but it's nice to have my own place. Now that they know, she might be able to move with me, if I can bring her here with me."

"You'll just have to ask my parents. They both seem to like you now, so just ask them," Arthur said. Naomi nodded before closing the pantry door and joining Arthur at the kitchen table. "Why did you start texting me all of the sudden?"

"One of your school friends started texting me, some Mary Alice girl," Naomi replied, showing her the entries. "She told me you were really into the whole texting thing, but I'm thinking she was lying to turn you against me. Do you know her?"

"She goes by Muffy, and she's the one who provided the investigator. She's been trying to meet you for a few times now," Arthur explained. "She was trying to turn you against me, but she's one of many girls after me right now. I'm surprised my parents let you stay because of that."

"I told them I wasn't into guys my age anymore because of Abby. That is another white lie, but you don't have much to worry about. You're like my little brother. When your arm is better, you'll be my little helper unless you get a job, which you should do. I'll bring over what I've found for you tomorrow. You might as well look now. That arm will be healed before you know it, and…I hope the girls keep fighting over you even after that cast goes away," Naomi smiled, ruffling his hair. "Now get to bed, young whippersnapper. I have more work to do," she grinned, clicking open her pen and returning to the pantry to continue her inventory.

As Arthur got into bed and thought about the day's events, he wondered if a girl like Naomi would want to be with him. Was she telling the truth about him being her cute little brother? His heart began to pound, and he knew he hoped that was yet another little white lie.

|Crushed Again?|

It was Sunday morning, but Arthur knew from Sue Ellen's phone call that she really wanted to work on their group project. She came over around eleven-thirty, following Arthur into his room without saying a word to anyone. Once they were seated, Arthur expected her to pull out some notebooks or something to work with, but instead she stared at the floor.

"Is something wrong?" Arthur asked. Sue Ellen shrugged, "I don't really know. You're feeling better, aren't you? You didn't get too sick?" she asked. Arthur shrugged; he felt better but nausea could still hit him at any time. "Well, I told Muffy off for how she was acting Thursday. She's been a real pain since she…well she has a crush on you. She'll do anything to have you, and because I stuck up for you—"

"She thought you were getting in her way," Arthur said, and Sue Ellen nodded. "Yeah, well she did the same thing to Fern and they seemed close. I hope it didn't get too nasty," Arthur muttered, knowing it probably did.

"Well, I say good riddance. I haven't agreed with her in so long. Truly, I don't know how we became best friends. We have almost nothing in common. She thinks my father is full of himself for knowing ten languages and traveling all the time, and she won't go to my house on certain days of the week because of the religious ceremonies my parents like to practice. She wants to be in her mansion, even though all she does is complain about her little brother and how much he whines all the time. Did you know he's sickly?"

"I don't know anything about him," Arthur admitted. "I've pulled away from Muffy over the years because of how she treats everyone. Truly I don't even know why she's at Elwood City High. Shouldn't she be in some private school somewhere that costs a lot of money?"

"You'd think, but she likes being at the top of the totem pole," Sue Ellen scoffed. "I'll admit that I enjoyed not being on her bad side, not having to look over my shoulder to make sure the rumors weren't too ugly. But I'm going to enjoy not being her friend even more, and…truly, I'm ready for drama. I know a lot about Muffy because of how willing she is to share information with her BFF's. I have a lot of dirt on her, and well…that's why I'm here."

"Please don't use me to start drama," Arthur groaned, the sick feeling trying to come back. Sue Ellen shook her head firmly, "I'm not, I swear! Listen, she stole Naomi's number and told her to text you a lot because she thought that'd make you mad. I just wanted to know if her plan worked or not," Sue Ellen smirked.

"What's the smile for?" Arthur asked. Sue Ellen's smile widened, "I know it didn't work. She put a note in your locker the other day, Naomi did. Wait, how did…? Ugh, anyway," Sue Ellen sighed, "I just wanted to make sure you were steering clear of both of them. Neither of them are good for you, and you shouldn't have to be with someone you can't stand."

"Naomi is really nice, but…she's older, way older," Arthur said. He told Sue Ellen the secrets of her past, and Sue Ellen's expression said it all: Maybe those little white lies were a little bigger than Naomi and the Read's assumed them to be. "I don't want anyone though, Sue Ellen. I want to…do my homework without wondering why people are staring at me at school, or work on school projects without drama. Please, you said you wanted to come over for our report. Can we work on that?"

"Of course, Arthur. I've known you since I got to Elwood City and you've been nothing but nice to me. If you want to just be a normal teenage boy, so be it," she smiled, pulling out her work. "I'm stuck on this last part, but then I'll be able to pass it to you for editing. Buster should look at it too in case I don't mention something that's on his model."

Arthur smiled, looking over Sue Ellen's shoulder to view the report. She smelled so exotic, he thought, his nose picking up scents from her hair and clothes that he didn't recognize. He felt himself blush as she talked about the report, and his mind almost instantly created a picture of him and Sue Ellen…were they holding hands?!

"Arthur, are you okay?" Sue Ellen asked, looking down at Arthur. "I don't think you are okay if you're going to be falling out of chairs. Should I just go?" she asked. Arthur shook his head, composing himself and getting back into his chair. He was pale now, almost scared-looking, but Sue Ellen took his word for it, continuing to work on school work. And Arthur's mind? Well it kept putting two and two together, causing his heart to pound loudly even after Sue Ellen left.

|Beginning of the War|

"It's nice to have you back, Arthur," Buster smiled, patting Arthur's good shoulder as they boarded the bus. "Oh, Sue Ellen emailed me the report. She said you were going to edit it too, when you got it that is," Buster said. Arthur nodded, taking their usual seat midway up the bus.

"Good morning, Arthur," Brain said, turning to face them. "I do hope you're feeling better today. Those stomach bugs are pretty wicked nowadays," he smiled, passing Arthur a package of tea. "That's what my mom fixes me when I have an upset stomach. Perhaps if you need it again—"

"Thank you, Brain, I'll be sure to use some if I need it," Arthur smiled nervously. Across the row from him, George snickered, turning around to the row behind him, where Francine was sitting with one of her sports buddies. The laughter continued, and soon Arthur felt eyes hit him.

"Something's up," Buster muttered. "Wait, how are things with you and the ladies? Anything weird?" Buster asked, careful to whisper. Arthur shrugged; he couldn't admit he was dreaming about Naomi but having intense daydreams about Sue Ellen too, not even to his best friend. "Well, I heard Sue Ellen told off Muffy in the cafeteria before you left. Are they literally fighting over you?"

"No, Sue Ellen doesn't think Muffy should be so intense about things. She told Naomi to text me a lot to turn me against her," Arthur explained. "It didn't work. We have a lot in common. But it could never work. Naomi is really in her twenties, so I'm too young. It's fine. I think she sees me more as a little brother than anything else."

"You're probably right, but…you need to watch yourself. Everyone is staring at you, and I can almost smell that Crosswire funk coming out of these phones. She's up to something, probably something that will keep her on the Brat List long after we're gone," Buster muttered, his ears falling from nervousness as he eyed the bus. People were turning around to tell people something, but the boys couldn't hear…until someone turned around to Brain.

"You do all realize this is a very poor photo editing job, don't you? Arthur doesn't have a sixth and seventh finger either," Brain scoffed, pushing the boy's phone away. "Arthur, are you aware of what Muffy sent out about you?" Brain asked. The bus went silent as he turned around to Arthur, who blushed at the stares reaching him.

"No, but I'd like to know what it is," Arthur admitted. Brain called around, but not many people were willing to show him. Finally, Francine reached her phone out over the aisle. Buster gasped as Arthur looked on silently; Muffy had edited a photo to show Arthur holding hands with Naomi, edited poorly to look pregnant.

"Who is that girl?" Brain asked. Arthur sighed, "It's my siblings' caretaker. Muffy is jealous of her being in my house or something. I don't know what the deal is, but I just want to be left alone. Everyone seems to think that because my arm is broken, I suddenly need the attention of an A-list celebrity. Well I don't."

"So Muffy is jealous of a babysitter?" Francine asked, laughing gently as Arthur nodded. "Yep, made the right choice cutting that chick off, am I right, Maria?" Francine asked. Maria high-fived her with a smile as laughter flowed through the bus.

When they reached Elwood City High, the rumors continued to flow, but Arthur sensed a change in the atmosphere. Had his bus mates defended him and tried to forget the incident? Had Muffy caught wind of their defiance and started something with those who stuck up for him? Arthur didn't know what, but he _really_ wished that stomach virus had stuck around a little longer so he didn't have to find out.


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter Nine_

|Brat List Confirmation|

It was during a class change when Arthur felt Muffy's eyes upon him. She ran up, her high heels clacking on the tile, her face covered with makeup and a smile. Arthur sighed, trying to change out his books as quickly as he could with only one good arm so he could get back to class. The last person he wanted to see right now was Muffy.

"Arthur, can I talk to you?" Muffy asked sweetly. Arthur closed his locker, "Sorry, I need to get to class," he tried, but Muffy blocked his path, "Listen, I heard a rumor that my name was behind that little picture leak, and Brain told me your whole bus thought I was responsible. It's not me, I swear it! In fact, I found this on Sue Ellen's phone," Muffy whispered, flashing the original picture of a pregnant Naomi.

"Muffy, I don't want to hear it," Arthur said, trying to push past her, but Muffy stood her ground, "Listen, I can tell you're angry with me. Please, you have to believe me. Do you?" she asked, trying to throw a hint of sadness in her voice. Arthur scoffed, "I'm going to class. Get out of my way," Arthur said firmly, trying to push past her again.

As Muffy stood her ground, Arthur had no choice but to push her out of his way with his good arm. Muffy cried out as dramatically as possible, and people around them froze, in particular Francine. She huffed, approaching the two and gently pulling Arthur away.

"Muffy, stop being such a drama queen. Come on, Arthur," Francine whispered, pulling Arthur up the hallway. Muffy continued her dramatics, drawing in a teacher but no students. They were finished with Muffy's antics, and because of Arthur's sudden popularity, no one particularly cared what her problem was with him. They simply wanted him to be comfortable, and if Arthur wasn't comfortable, the one who was causing the discomfort deserved to be shunned.

During the next class change, Arthur sensed this change. Normally he crossed paths with Muffy on his way to the second floor, but today she was gone. People were still looking at him, their faces sympathetic. And when he entered his next class, he noticed Sue Ellen standing nearby.

"Arthur?" she called before he could step inside. He stopped and turned to her. "She went home, Arthur. She blamed me for the picture and tried to get me in trouble, but…it's been deciphered. They know," she smiled. "Don't worry about anything, Arthur. Just relax," Sue Ellen smiled, patting his good arm before departing.

Arthur's heart pounded as he took his seat. So Sue Ellen was standing up to Muffy for him? Arthur still had no idea what was going on, his mind still weak from his illness. He didn't understand why the politics had changed, why the usually-powerful Muffy was now on everyone's personal Brat List. He didn't understand, and truly, he didn't want to. He just wanted to go to class…and daydream more about his new range of romantic choices.

|Photo Fiasco|

Arthur went home with Buster after school, hoping to escape from the dramatic day. He'd been sent an important email from school staff that asked him to meet with the counselors the next day about Muffy's incident. The photo, which had gone viral among the high school's students, was removed, but Arthur knew that serious damage had probably been done. He just didn't really want to think about it right now.

"How do you like the model I'm making?" Buster asked, throwing his backpack down beside his bed and gesturing to his desk. Arthur nodded with satisfaction, "I think even Brain would like this. Are you going to finish painting it soon?" he asked. Buster nodded, pointing at the art supplies in the corner, "My mom wants to help me tonight. She was upset that I didn't let her in on it, so I kind of owe her."

Arthur nodded, sinking on the bed as Buster's computer beeped. Buster twitched the mouse and brought the screen to life. He immediately gasped excitedly and gestured Arthur over. The school's social media page was going wild again, this time over the girl drama playing out on another site: Naomi was fighting back.

"Naomi doesn't know much about Muffy, does she? Wait, she called her 'Daddy's Little Baby'? Ha!" Buster howled with laughter, nearly falling out of his seat. Arthur looked at the livestream of messages back and forth. They bounced in like firecrackers that hadn't gone off yet, but Arthur knew they would probably explode together in a huge fight.

"We need to put a stop to this," Arthur whispered, "before someone gets hurt," he said, trying to take control of the mouse. Buster stopped him, "No, Arthur. Just look and hear me out: Muffy deserves a good telling-off from someone other than her classmates. I know Sue Ellen did her best, but Naomi? Well if she's in her twenties, she should really be Muffy's idol. Let this play out. I bet they'll be best friends soon."

"I don't want that either," Arthur reminded him. Buster chuckled nervously, "Yeah, that would be pretty awful for you. Aww, it's glitching!" Buster cried, watching as the feed flickered then disappeared. "So much for that. Want to do your homework with me?" Buster asked weakly, his ears falling as he moved to his bag.

Arthur hesitated, "Do you think I should go home and comfort Naomi? She might need me right now, and—"

"She'll be fine, Arthur. It was a harmless photo anyway. Well, not entirely harmless. My point is that this will all blow over when it blows over, just like these girls fighting over you. Hey, I heard you were with Francine earlier. Is she after you as well?" Buster asked. Arthur sighed heavily, "No, she was helping me get away from Muffy. Why do you sound like you're so wired up? Do you want me to be with one of these crazy brats?"

"I want you to be happy, but…I do kind of want you to take advantage of this. It's not every day you get onto the hottie list, even if it is for something as crazy as a broken arm," Buster smiled weakly. Arthur shrugged, gathering his things. "Where are you going, Arthur? Please, stay for dinner. Mom is going to do her famous Italian Mash Up Casserole. The recipe won the newspaper's contest and everything. Arthur, wait!" Buster called, running up to him. "I'm sorry about whatever I said to upset you," he apologized.

"It's not you, Buster. I just…I feel like I should be home right now. Tell your mom to save me a plate. I'll have it tonight or tomorrow, whichever is the easiest for me," Arthur smiled weakly. Buster patted his good shoulder and walked him out. He hovered in the door and watched him leave before shrugging and heading upstairs. He immediately went back to the computer to see if anything had changed, but there were no new updates.

When Arthur got home, he found his mother helping the kids through homework, her face covered with stress lines. Arthur couldn't help her because she was opening containers of yogurt for the twins, but he could ask what was up.

"Naomi is holed up in the garage on the phone with your classmate. What happened at that school today, Arthur?" Jane asked. Arthur sighed, "Muffy pulled a prank involving me and Naomi. The picture has been taken down and—"

"See, this is what I was afraid of when we let those stupid Crosswire's look into her. She's a good girl, Arthur, but look at her," Jane sighed, glancing out the window. Arthur did the same; Naomi looked stressed. "She asked if she could bring her daughter here, but now I don't know if I should let her. What if Muffy tries to come over and do something to her? I'd feel horrible if I let something like that happen," Jane cried.

Arthur didn't really know what to say. He grabbed an apple and watched as his mother slinked into the den to find DW and Kate. While she wasn't looking, Arthur left out the front door. A few minutes later, he was back at Buster's house. Buster smiled and let his friend inside, happy to have someone to share dinner with.

|Fern the Informant|

It was about an hour after dinner when the doorbell rang. Bitzi, who was editing articles at the dining room table while the boys watched television nearby, decided to answer the door. She allowed in a teen girl: Fern.

"We need to talk," she said in a soft voice, her eyes focused on Arthur. He nodded, standing up and following her outside. They took a seat on the nearby bench, swatting at mosquitoes that were starting to appear. "I've been doing my own research on Naomi, research that includes the same documents the investigator looked at. They don't line up."

"Fern, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but—"

"You need to hear this. If she was able to trick a licensed investigator, then she could be a pretty big threat. I just don't know why she would've faked some of these documents. There's a birth certificate for a young girl with some discrepancies, and her enrollment papers have mysterious smudges hiding her true major and course track. She's up to something, and I just…I want your family to be safe," Fern sighed.

Arthur nodded solemnly, "Well, I'm a little tired of hearing about her right now. I have to go to a meeting tomorrow because of Muffy's antics, and I think Muffy and Naomi are in contact with each other, which means major cat fights. I'm done right now. I don't want any of this."

"I understand that, but sometimes you have to deal with social discomfort to get things done," Fern said, sighing heavily. "Listen, I've been thinking of ways to get back at Muffy for what she did to me. I had a wonderful friendship going, but she ruined it for her selfish reasons, and I no longer have any friends because of her. I want to show her what it's like to feel like she's on the bottom of all society. I want you to be as brutal as possible in that meeting, okay? I want you to be bru-tal," Fern emphasized.

"I make no guarantees, but…yes, Muffy deserves to feel like that," Arthur nodded. "I've gotten to know Naomi, and she shouldn't have to deal with a stupid high school girl's antics. What she did was…well it wasn't quite unforgivable, but it's pretty close. I'll do what I can, for you and for Naomi."

"Just don't protect Naomi too much. If she needs to fall, let her. I really think these lies point to something that just isn't right," Fern said, gathering her things and standing up, swatting a mosquito as she did. "I want you to keep me informed. Oh, do you mind giving me Sue Ellen's number again? She wanted to talk to me earlier."

"She and Muffy had a falling out," Arthur whispered, holding out his phone with Sue Ellen's contact information on the screen. "Maybe she wants to reconnect with you, pull you back into the loop," Arthur smiled. Fern grinned gently, "I'd really like that. Francine was nice to me today. She hasn't been nice to me since Muffy spread that rumor that…well, you remember," Fern blushed. Arthur nodded, waving to Fern as she walked away.

Once inside, Buster nearly dragged Arthur upstairs for details. Arthur told him everything, and then he called to make sure he could spend the night with Buster. Jane was frazzled, but she didn't mind letting him stay with a friend. She almost wished she was a few decades younger so she could do the same.


	10. Chapter 10

_Chapter Ten_

|Power Shift|

The office was small, making it feel cluttered as Arthur slid into a corner chair, sliding his books underneath the chair. Behind him came the principal and a school counselor, two people Arthur had never spoken to face-to-face in an actual administrative setting. He felt sweat forming on his brow, and he almost felt queasy again as they started asking him questions.

"Do you think Miss Crosswire was trying to do social damage to someone in particular, be it you or someone else?" the counselor asked. Arthur nodded firmly, "I don't think she wanted to hurt me, but Naomi is her sworn enemy right now. She seems to have a crush on me, and she thinks that my family's caretaker will try to be my girlfriend."

"So you think she's delusional?" the principal asked. The counselor gave him a stern look. "Delusional" was not the right word. The principal cleared his throat, "Well, you think she has an idea of how things truly are that is very different?" he questioned.

"Yes," Arthur nodded. The principal bounced on his heels before looking to the counselor, "Well, Miss Crosswire has simply tried to name drop and cry to get out of her problem. Because we agree that she had ulterior motives, I think we're done here. If you have any classes with Muffy, don't expect to see her any time soon," he smiled.

Arthur nodded, shaking the principal's hand before heading back to class. Once there, he noticed a new text on his phone from Muffy. He waited until class change to check out what she had to say. He expected her to know that he told the principal enough information to get her suspended. Instead?

**I'm going to miss u;(**

Arthur shuddered at the emoticon, putting away his phone as Fern and Sue Ellen approached with Francine not far behind. Maria ran after, laughing as she scared Francine. The girls looked like a large group of friends, something Muffy seemed to hate when she was "in power." Arthur could tell her Brat List level had changed. He didn't know who her replacement would be, but he could tell that her power was gone, and without power, the main things that made her a Brat—ruining friendships, damaging reputations, etc.—were no longer on the table. Muffy was the one on the bottom. Arthur's move was successful.

|After Naomi|

Arthur was sitting in the den watching Naomi play with the kids. A light knock sounded at the door, so he decided to answer it. Fern appeared in the doorway with Sue Ellen not far behind. While Sue Ellen carried her school supplies, Arthur could tell this was more of a personal mission than a study session.

"We want to meet her, well I do," Fern whispered meekly. "I…I just want to know why."

Arthur sighed heavily, "I'm sorry, but I just can't do that to her. She's great with my siblings, and I don't want to change that. When my arm is healed, you can do whatever you want with her, but while I can't take care of them, she needs to be the one to do it. Can you give me that long?" Arthur asked firmly. Sue Ellen shook her head. "Why not then?"

"She faked these documents, Arthur. She tricked a private investigator!" Sue Ellen hissed in a hushed whisper. "Now let us meet her so we can get to the bottom of this. What if she killed someone, a kid even? What would you do then?"

"I'm sorry, but I just…she needs to be with the kids. Please, just leave," Arthur said firmly. As he did, Naomi called out from the kitchen to see who was at the front door. "No one!" Arthur called back before turning to the girls, "I don't want to close this door in your face, but I will if that's my only option."

"Fine, let's just go," Fern sighed, trying to peer around Arthur but turning to leave anyway. Sue Ellen shrugged, beginning to walk up the path as a familiar limousine pulled up outside. Fern turned to Arthur with pleading eyes, "You aren't going to let her in, are you?"

"No, you all need to leave," Arthur said firmly, watching as Muffy pranced past the girls with her nose in the air. "You heard me, Muffy. I have nothing to say to you."

"Well, I am required by my mother to apologize to Naomi in-person for the supposed damage I did. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for her," Muffy replied with a snooty tone. "Is she here right now so I can do that?"

"She's working," Arthur replied, closing the door and latching it. As he did, Naomi appeared, drying her hands with a dish towel, "Is everything okay, Arthur? You seemed to be having a pretty intense conversation."

Arthur exhaled slowly, "It's fine, honest. I was just declining a study session with friends, or so-called friends," he lied. "They always make me do all the work," he grinned, moving back to the den. As he did, Naomi peeked out the door. To his surprise, the girls were gone, as well as the Crosswire's limo. Arthur hoped they would leave Naomi alone, but he knew that all three were just getting started with whatever their respective plans were.

|Another Talk from Jane|

Jane knocked on Arthur's door and stepped inside. Arthur was struggling with his math homework, a pile of bunched-up papers making scratchy noises at his feet. Jane smiled sympathetically before sitting on Arthur's bed. He turned to face her, not knowing what exactly she wanted to talk about.

"I just tucked in the twins and walked Naomi home. Mrs. Crabapple decided that Naomi's outfit wasn't much worse than anything else out there, so I guess that issue is resolved," Jane smiled. "I was worried about the investigation, but truly, I see no reason we should look down upon Naomi. She did make some poor choices, and I hope you realize the magnitude of her decisions. Do you understand?"

"I do, Mom. The course at school was pretty basic, but Dad told me everything I need to know. Is that why you're here, to give me The Talk again?" Arthur asked nervously, blushing slightly. This was not a conversation he wanted to have with his mother.

"I was just making sure you understood how decisions affect one's life. Her story about having to find employment outside her home area was pretty striking to me, and I've learned from online research that many girls like her face prejudice almost everywhere they go. That's the real reason I'm here, to ask about your friends," Jane said, leaning forward and giving Arthur a firm look. "I heard about the picture, and Naomi told me she made up with Muffy, but I want to know how serious this is. I called the school and they said they spoke to you."

"They wanted to know if Muffy meant anything by it. I told them she did. They've been out to get her since she got here," Arthur explained. Jane nodded, "I gathered that from what Naomi told me. Girls have always been out to get her, but how high school girls fit into this equation is a little beyond my comprehension. Are they after her because she's Naomi, teen mom, or are they after her because she's Naomi, Arthur's cute babysitter?"

"The second one," Arthur muttered. Jane could barely hear, but she could tell by his expression which choice he made, "Well, I'm sorry to hear you're having such girl troubles. I didn't realize they were this bad when you told me before, but I understand now, I fully understand."

"Why are you saying it like that, Mom? I'm fine with this. I'm ignoring all of them, every last one, especially Muffy," Arthur said firmly. Jane nodded, "I know you'll make the right decision. But Arthur? You're sixteen. Having a girlfriend is normal, and since you've never discussed it before, I just want you to know we're okay with you having a close female friend, as long as you're careful of course, and we won't pry. But you need to tell us about any of these threats, for the safety of your siblings," Jane smiled. Arthur nodded, "I know, Mom, but I don't want a girlfriend. I really do just want to study."

Jane looked over Arthur's shoulder to his jumbled-up math homework, "Might I recommend finding a girlfriend who can help you do just that?" she smiled, patting his head and tiptoeing out of the room so that Arthur could get back to work.

Arthur scoffed as soon as the door was closed. He did not want the drama associated with having a girlfriend, even if she could help him study. While he needed someone's help right now, he wanted someone who was good at math, which just happened to be Brain. He smiled at the idea, closing his pages inside of his book and tucking them into his backpack for the next day. He'd simply ask Brain for help on the bus; the idea was almost comical. Arthur smiled as he climbed into bed, flicking off the light and trying to get the idea of a girlfriend out of his head.

|Arthur's Unexpected Homework Help|

The next morning, it was pouring down rain. Jane couldn't let her broken oldest son out in the downpour, which meant Arthur got a ride to school…which meant he couldn't get homework help from Brain. He was almost angry with the setup and angry again at his broken arm, but he got to school thirty minutes earlier than usual, which got him a seat at a table with George, Alex, Sue Ellen, and Fern, who were discussing the math homework from the night before.

While George had good ideas about how to do the problems, and Alex was able to get the correct answers despite not showing work, Sue Ellen seemed to know everything the boys didn't. Even Fern was copying her work easily, getting the right answers in one minute rather than ten. Arthur was surprised as he did the same, his mind finally understanding the concepts it couldn't grasp the night before.

"I didn't realize you all had so much trouble with this," Sue Ellen said with a friendly smile. "We should start an after school study group," she suggested. George shook his head, "I have to work. Someone has to pay for the dates around here," he chuckled.

"I'm available," Fern nodded. Arthur shrugged, "If I need the help, I don't mind showing up. Where do you want to meet?" he asked. Sue Ellen thought for a moment before suggesting the Elwood City Public Library. Everyone agreed, and the group made their decision. As they did, Arthur's usual busmates arrived, along with Buster. He pulled Arthur to their usual hangout spot, but Arthur's mind was on Sue Ellen, as well as his mother's suggestion. Was Sue Ellen a girl he could date AND study with? He blushed at the thought, and wondered if he was getting into even deeper problems.


	11. Chapter 11

_Chapter Eleven_

|The Lakewood Reunion Shunning|

Arthur was sitting at a table in the library when Sue Ellen and Fern arrived. They smiled as Francine and Maria, carrying bags of sports equipment, approached the table as well, lining up their things along a nearby wall. Somehow, word had spread, and the study group added new people, including Buster, who arrived a moment later with Binky not far behind.

"Wow, there's a lot of us," Buster chuckled, pulling up a chair from another table. Binky did the same, "It's been a while since this many Lakewood natives were in the same place intentionally. Muffy won't be showing up, will she?"

"Actually, she's going to be at Arthur's house. She posted on the school's website that she would be officially apologizing to Naomi today for her picture fiasco. Personally, I thought the photo damaged Arthur's reputation more than hers, but I don't really understand the situation," Maria said, tapping her pencil on her math book. "Has she apologized to you, Arthur?"

Arthur shrugged. Muffy had been texting him periodically, trying to ask how he was doing and things like that. She was trying to make small talk while letting on that she had a thing for Arthur. Arthur wasn't interested, period.

"Arthur is trying to avoid people like her," Buster said, looking up as the librarian approached. Their study group was too large to be sitting in the open, so she allowed them into a nearby boardroom as long as they cleaned up any of their own messes. "As I was saying, Arthur wants to avoid Muffy. She starts too much trouble."

"She's always started too much trouble," Binky scoffed. The group nodded in agreement, especially Francine, "And she thrives on drama. I think this whole thing is some kind of publicity stunt. She knows that Arthur had a rise of popularity all of the sudden, and she wanted it too. I wonder how far she'll go with that desire."

"She would never break a limb though, would she?" Binky whispered. Francine laughed, "You never know with that girl."

"Well, we're here for studying. I'm tired of hearing about Muffy anyway. I never want to see her face again," Sue Ellen grimaced, opening her math book. "Who wants to start with today's homework lesson?"

"If only Brain were here. He'd be so proud," Francine laughed, opening her book as Maria giggled beside her. "I want to talk about the lesson first. What in the world was that woman talking about today?" Francine asked, throwing her hands up as the door opened behind her. Muffy walked in, a smile on her face as Bailey followed, pulling out her chair for her before handing her things to her.

"I just remember what Coach said," Maria whispered. "We better get back or we'll have to do double the laps," she said. Francine nodded, closing her books and standing up. Muffy protested, "No, no, please don't leave. I want to apologize to all of you. I've been a mean, horrible person, but—"

"Oh, can it, Crosswire!" Binky hissed. "You've acted this way for years. We wouldn't believe this apology if you paid us to, and knowing her, she would!" Binky cackled, leaning back in his chair before grabbing his things. "I'm with Francine and Maria. If she's here, I'm out."

"We _all_ agree," Sue Ellen said firmly. "You're not wanted here, Muffy, no matter what you have to say. Get out," Sue Ellen demanded. The group nodded in agreement, and Muffy hung her head, "I thought you all would be so forgiving now that I'm being more honest. Naomi and I had a lovely chat earlier, and we agreed that this was all a misunderstanding. We're good friends now!"

"Come on, Buster, we'll just try to learn this on our own," Arthur sighed. Muffy stood, "Arthur, you're the main one I wanted to talk to. Please, do you forgive me?" she asked. Arthur turned away from her with his things. "Arthur, please, don't do this to me. I really didn't mean anything by it. Please, I'm trying to make amends with everyone I hurt. Let me start with you," Muffy smiled.

"You've been hurting people for years. Come on, guys, she's not leaving. We'll go somewhere else," Arthur said, opening the door. Everyone followed him out, leaving Muffy behind. The group decided to go to Sue Ellen's house to study, and the session felt successful, especially without Muffy to ruin it.

|Unordinary Dinners|

Arthur returned home around dinner time to find Jane serving dinner while Naomi sat between the twins to help them eat. DW rolled her eyes as Arthur took a seat at the table. Jane put a plate in front of him and pushed the main dish closer.

"Your father had a catering function at the Civic Center," Jane said, taking her seat and filling her plate. "He's working with Ed Crosswire's charity foundation, whichever one it is this week."

"It's his used cars program for the disabled," Naomi smiled, helping Ricky cut a green bean into a more manageable size. "Muffy told me about it earlier. Why didn't you tell me she was so sociable, Arthur? The girl just wants attention from the right people. Her methods are flawed, but—"

"No but's, they are flawed," Arthur sighed. "May I be excused? I've had enough talk about Muffy for one day," Arthur pleaded, giving his mother the best look he could. Jane shook her head, "No, I want to have dinner with my family. No more talk of Muffy. I heard about what she did to your study group, and truly, I don't blame you kids for walking out on her. If she bothers you again, move your study session here. She is not allowed here if she doesn't want to learn."

"We were going to go to the movies Friday night. She was going to stop by…," Naomi began, but Jane shook her head, "For one, you're too old to be hanging out with Arthur's friends, and secondly, I don't want her here. Now enough about her. Arthur, how was your day aside from that?"

"Fine," Arthur murmured. DW scoffed, "I had an interesting day, Mom. Emily and I—"

"Hold on a moment, DW," Jane said, turning to Arthur. "I want to make sure you're okay, Arthur. Are you okay?" she asked sympathetically. Arthur shrugged, "I'm just taking it day-by-day, Mom. It'll be past us soon."

"Keep your head up, Arthur. Now, DW, you were saying?" Jane asked with a smile. DW scoffed, refusing to speak as she shoved food into her mouth. Kate took her place, telling the table about her day at Lakewood Elementary. Arthur drowned them all out. He missed his ordinary life, and he wondered if he would ever get it back.

|Naomi's Announcement|

It was late at the Read house and nearly everyone had already gone to bed. In fact, Arthur was the last one still awake, his throat parched. He walked into the kitchen to find Naomi folding one last load laundry at the table.

"Artie, I'm glad you're here. I've wanted to tell you something I discovered today, something that sort of involves you," Naomi said, folding one of Ricky's tiny t-shirts onto a small pile. Arthur shrugged, moving the cabinet to get a glass for his water. "What's wrong, Artie? Is it something I said?"

"Why are you supportive of Muffy? She was trying to make you look bad," Arthur whispered, filling his glass with water. Naomi laughed, "No, she was making fun of you at my expense. We've worked through our differences. I'm trying to tell you that Muffy and I have become friends, good friends. We have a lot in common, aside from the whole age and young mother thing," Naomi laughed.

Arthur felt his world shrink around him. He had no choice but to sit down right beside Naomi as he tried to process this news. Naomi snapped her fingers in front of him, "Arthur, are you okay? I thought you'd be happy I was getting to know your friends. You said yourself they've been trying to meet me. Well now they can, starting tomorrow at the movies with Muffy. I'm going to pick up Abby and have a fun day with her, then Muffy and I will take her to the new fairy princess movie."

"I need to get to bed," Arthur muttered, running upstairs without drinking a drop of water. When he got to his room, he dove into bed, hoping that pulling the covers over his head would help the situation. It wouldn't. Naomi was taking over his life.


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter Twelve_

|Arthur's Real-Life Nightmares|

"Whoa, Arthur, you look bad!" Buster gasped. Arthur muttered and shrugged; he had nothing to say, even to his best friend. "I…saw something online last night, but it looks like you already know. Why exactly are she and Naomi friends again?"

"I don't know and I don't want to talk about it," Arthur sighed, stepping onto the bus. Brain and Alex were talking through some English homework in front of their usual seat. Arthur realized he hadn't done much of his homework last night, but he didn't really care anymore as he took the window seat and stared out into the abyss.

"Well, I'll give you something better to think about. The cinema plans on showing all of the Bionic Bunny movies leading up to the live-action movie coming out on Friday. My mom is willing to buy us both tickets in exchange for some light yard work. You can probably get yours without any work at all," Buster chuckled, looking down to Arthur's big, blue cast. Arthur shook his head, "I'm not really up for any movies right now. That's what they're doing tonight, taking her daughter to the movies. It makes me sick."

"Arthur, if I may interject?" Brain called, turning around with Alex. Arthur nodded for him to continue. "I believe what you're feeling is normal. It reminds me of the feeling I had when my parents invited my ninth grade composition teacher to dinner without warning me. They'd been friends for years without me knowing, and I felt a little stunned. I believe you are simply in shock. The feeling will pass."

"I don't think so, Brain," Alex shuddered, looking Arthur over carefully. "Depending on where this friendship goes, Arthur knows he might be stepping into a nightmare. His feelings are justified," he said, and Brain shrugged, accepting defeat and settling down again. Alex remained, passing Arthur a scrap of paper with a URL address, "Here, it's for a free music channel. I suggest an escape of some kind, and music is good if Bionic Bunny won't do it for you. Buster, I could—"

"Mom specifically said Arthur, Alex. I'm sorry," Buster interrupted. Alex shrugged, turning around and returning to his original conversation with Brain. "Well, do you at least want to come over for dinner tonight? Even if you don't go, Mom would still like to have you over. She calls you her second son. I think it's funny," Buster giggled.

"I'll text my mom after school and let her know I'll be spending the night. I just really don't want to see Naomi today," Arthur muttered.

Buster nodded in understanding as the bus slowly approached the arrival/dismissal area. The doors opened as a limo pulled up alongside before sliding into the spot in front of the bus. Buster tried to shield Arthur, knowing it would be Muffy, but Arthur saw anyway, and he recognized the figure still inside the car.

"Goodbye, Muffy!" Naomi called, sticking her head out the open window. "Hi, Arthur! Have a great day at school!" she cried. Arthur shuddered and rushed inside with Buster tight on his heels. It was no use; that overwhelmed feeling followed him anyway.

"I changed my mind about the movies. And since your mom thinks so highly of me, do you think I could live with her instead?" Arthur whimpered, leaning heavily against the wall. Buster patted his shoulder sympathetically as Muffy sauntered past. She stopped at Sue Ellen, Francine, and Maria's group with a smile on her face. At first the girls were skeptical, then they all stood together like they'd always been friends. Arthur went pale as their conversation carried through the crowded room: They were talking about him.

"I think it's okay if we all like Arthur. It's his choice anyway," Francine laughed. Muffy nodded, "We'll help each other impress him. I hear he's still a huge comics fan!" she exclaimed. The other girls squealed…except Sue Ellen. She gradually slinked away, heading to a table where George sat with a few girls. She pulled out a sketch book and seemed to stare into its pages. This struck Arthur as important, but he was namely busy trying to keep his head above the drama to make it through yet another crazy school day.

|Lunch Woes|

At lunch, Arthur tried to take a seat at a crowded table, but he and Buster were pushed to a nearly empty one instead. The moment they sat down, Francine, Maria, and their teammates crowded the table. They kept asking Arthur questions, but Arthur kept his head down. Buster tried to help, but Francine wouldn't have it.

"What's wrong, Arthur? Are you still sick, 'cause if you are…," Francine said, pulling away. Buster shook his head, "He's not that kind of sick, Francine. He's a different kind of sick, a kind of sick you wouldn't understand."

"Why? Is she not a hottie?" Maria asked defensively. Francine nodded firmly, "Yeah, am I not a hottie or something?"

"We wanted a quiet lunch, girls. Can we give Arthur some peace for two seconds?" Buster asked coldly. Maria shook her head, "We all have date ideas if he's interested. Francine and I are going to the Bionic Bunny marathon with the team, and we were wondering if we could offer you two our extra tickets."

"Sorry, he's already going with me, ladies. Now if you'll excuse us," Buster said, standing and helping Arthur up. They moved to another table that just happened to have two empty seats. At the far end was Sue Ellen, her head buried in her sketchbook, at least until Arthur sat down. "Uh-oh, looks like Sue Ellen is on the prowl."

"She isn't like the others. She could care less, remember?" Arthur asked. Buster shrugged, "I never noticed. There's kind of a lot of girls after you right now, Arthur. I namely pay attention to that," he nodded, watching as Sue Ellen traded seats with the senior next to Arthur.

"I wanted to talk to you to reassure you I won't be befriending Muffy like the others. They think that because she's announced a group effort to have you, she'll be more nice or whatever. I know she's just trying to pull something out like a magic trick, and I'm not falling for it," Sue Ellen said firmly. Arthur nodded. "You know, you don't seem as bothered by me. You looked like you wanted to run away this morning."

"He did," Buster nodded, "before he even got here, actually."

"Buster's right, but you're right too. You're not like them, and I really thank you for that," Arthur smiled. Sue Ellen smiled back before flipping open her sketchbook, "I found drawing helps me when I'm stressed out. I'd suggest that you try it, but you'd have to have the right work station because of your arm. The art classroom is always available with good spots if you're interested."

"I'll think about it," Arthur nodded, finally starting to eat his lunch. Sue Ellen made him feel better, and Arthur truly was thankful for her differences. He thought highly of her, and he wondered again if she could be the right girlfriend amid all of his crazed crush victims.

|Female Ally|

After school, Buster and Arthur went to the comic book store to browse the stacks, at least until they saw the Crosswire limo out front. They quickly changed their minds, opting to go to the book store instead. Inside, they found Sue Ellen browsing the Japanese comics. Buster decided to look at the food books, but Arthur decided to see what the Japanese had to offer.

"Have you ever read a manga before?" Sue Ellen asked. Arthur shook his head, but he noticed she was reading backwards. "Well, it's a little hard to get used to, but these things are so deep. In this one, a girl discovers she has powers that make her the last living heir to a demon, but she doesn't want to become evil. She wants to try to use her powers for good, but it's difficult because evil is so strong in her world."

"Wow, that sounds complicated," Arthur noted. Sue Ellen shrugged, "To an outsider, yes, but to me? It's just normal. These will help you escape as well. It's fun to see how crazy someone else's life is compared to your own, even if all of these are fiction. Do you want me to show you how to read one?"

"That's okay," Arthur said, looking over the titles. "There's too many here for me to choose from, and…looks like I can't afford to buy one of these anyway," he muttered, sliding a book off and on the shelf as he eyed the prices. Sue Ellen nodded, "What I like to do is find the one I like in stores, then I find it online and read it there. It's cheaper when you're not sure what you want. I'll email you with my favorite sites."

"Hey, Arthur, this guy made a cake out of candy bars and cookie dough!" Buster gasped, holding up a food book. Arthur nodded and Sue Ellen laughed gently as Buster was forced back to the food section by a cashier.

"I know the girls are trying to loop you in with the Bionic Bunny marathon, but I know how you can escape them," Sue Ellen whispered, looking around before pulling three special VIP tickets from her purse, "I got these because my father knows the owner. He and I will be sitting in one VIP box, and these two are for you and Buster. The regular tickets are sold out, and I can help you and Buster make a profit if you'll let me sell them."

"I don't even know if Mrs. Baxter has bought them yet. You might've just saved us," Arthur smiled as Buster approached. "Buster, does your mom already have tickets for the marathon."

"No," Buster muttered, his ears lowering in defeat, "She called an hour ago but they were sold out. Why do you ask?" Buster asked. Sue Ellen held up the VIP tickets, smiling as Buster's eyes grew wide, "Wow, I always knew those existed, but I've never met anyone who actually had them. Oh, there's only two…."

"I have my own. I'll be sitting with my father," Sue Ellen said, holding up the third ticket. Buster smiled, "That's so nice of you, Sue Ellen." Sue Ellen shrugged, eying her watch as she handed off the tickets. She then disappeared, leaving the boys happy as they slowly walked back to Buster's condo.

|Arthur's Crushing Make-Shift Date|

The next evening, the theatre was packed with people trying to get into the Bionic Bunny marathon. Arthur and Buster bypassed the lines with their VIP passes, and once they found their seats, they realized the only other people who could see them were the other VIPs located in boxes throughout the theatre.

As they ate popcorn, waiting for the show to start, Sue Ellen inched into the VIP box. But even when the lights lowered, she was alone. The doors closed below and the Bionic Bunny music began, but Arthur's eyes were on Sue Ellen's empty seat and the way she slouched forward unhappily.

"I think I want to switch seats during the next intermission," Arthur whispered. Buster shushed him, his eyes glued to the screen and its opening credits. Arthur shrugged, deciding to stick to his plan during the first intermission. He texted Sue Ellen, and she greeted him at the booth's opening.

"You noticed I was alone, huh?" Sue Ellen asked. Arthur nodded, following her up the stairs as Francine and Maria walked past.

"She's the one with him! How dare she!" Francine hissed. Maria agreed, angrily stomping to their seats. Arthur watched the commotion spread through the team. He felt hot under the collar, but he also felt something else: He was where he should've been all along.

"This is my favorite movie coming up," Sue Ellen whispered, passing Arthur her popcorn so he could grab a few pieces. Arthur nodded; the next movie was his favorite as well.

The two watched in silence as the movies sped by. Soon it was eleven, and the theatre cleared out below them. Buster texted Arthur that he could meet him in the parking lot, where Bitzi was waiting to drive them home. Arthur didn't want to leave Sue Ellen's side, especially when she led him out a back exit, but he knew he had to.

"I'll see you at school," she smiled, waving and pulling away. Arthur smiled, waving slowly. He was awestruck by this girl. He had found what he wanted, and he wished the other girls would let it happen without incident.

A/N: So, this is the end of "Naomi's World." I honestly forgot Arthur and Sue Ellen got together in the end, but I recently went back and read this part. Why? Because I'm writing a sequel! When will I begin posting it? After I publish all of "Arthur's Baby Problems."

"Arthur's Baby Problems" is the Prequel to "Naomi's World" and it covers the backstory of the twins, the move, and unfortunately Pal's untimely passing.

When I'm finished posting "Arthur's Baby Problems," I'll begin posting "Arthur's World," which I'm going to try to finish very quickly because I'm doing NaNoWriMo this November. I'll be adding info about that in my profile later today, but I am doing an Arthur fanfic again, so keep your eyes open for posts:)


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